Throughout the succeeding decades, Skywalker helped keep peace throughout the galaxy as the New Republic slowly defeated small remnants of the Empire. When Palpatine returned in the form of several clone bodies, Luke temporarily fell to the dark side and became the resurrected Emperor's apprentice. He was later redeemed with the help of his friends, and continued with his goal of reviving the Jedi Order. In 11 ABY, he founded the New Jedi Order, and began teaching Force-sensitives about the ways of the Force at the Jedi Praxeum, fulfilling his destiny as the first of the new Jedi. In the midst of this rebirth came numerous challenges for Skywalker and his apprentices, including the Black Fleet Crisis, the Almanian Uprising, and the lure of Waru, but Skywalker, aided by fellow Jedi and his friends, was able to overcome each trial. Meanwhile, after a long series of failed relationships, Luke married fellow Jedi and former Emperor's HandMara Jade in 19 ABY.

Several years after the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, Skywalker found himself, yet again, on the front lines. Skywalker served as the leader of the New Jedi Order, during the Yuuzhan Vong War, an invasion by the extra-galacticYuuzhan Vongspecies. During the war, Skywalker's wife gave birth to a son, who they named Ben, in memory of his first mentor of the force: Ben Kenobi. Skywalker endured countless battles as the New Republic was first pushed back, including the fall of his home on Coruscant. However, the newly reformed government, labeling itself the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, regrouped and helped push back the alien invaders. In the final stages of the war, Skywalker sought out the living world of Zonama Sekot, convincing the planet to join the Galactic Alliance in a final battle on Coruscant, in which Skywalker personally led the assault on Supreme OverlordShimrra Jamaane's citadel and slew Jamaane. Combined with the fact that his nephew, Jacen Solo, would soon after kill Jamaane's puppet master, Onimi, the Yuuzhan Vong were defeated and the war was ended.

After the Yuuzhan Vong War, Skywalker maintained a prominent role among the Jedi into the Dark Nest Crisis, which saw him call a Jedi convocation to deal with strife within the Order. Faced with disunity, Skywalker assumed the title of Grand Master and direct control over the reestablished Jedi Council. Despite the successful handling of the Dark Nest Crisis and the Swarm War, lasting peace was yet to be achieved, as the Second Galactic Civil War broke out a few years later. Skywalker was plunged into a dark time as his nephew, Jacen Solo, became a Sith apprentice under his old adversary Lumiya and slew his beloved Mara. His grief was further compounded by his son's treading near the dark side as well, but he continued to lead the Jedi, forming the Jedi Coalition to oppose the rule of the Alliance by his nephew, now a Sith Lord by the name of Darth Caedus. With Skywalker's aid, Caedus was killed by his twin sister Jaina, ending the war and restoring peace to the galaxy.

In the aftermath of the war, Natasi Daala ascended to the position of Chief of State and fostered a wide spread anti-Jedi sentiment resulting in tensions between the Jedi Order and her government. Daala ultimately had Skywalker arrested for dereliction of duty, and in exchange for his freedom, he was exiled and forbidden from involving himself in the affairs of the Jedi Order. Skywalker and his son embarked on an odyssey across the galaxy in order to discover the causes of Jacen Solo's fall to the dark side. During their journey, the Skywalkers encountered the Lost Tribe of Sith, as well as a malevolent dark side entity known as Abeloth. With the help of his son and the rest of the Jedi, Skywalker returned to his position as Grand Master. Skywalker and his allies then repelled the Sith threat, and with the help of an unlikely Sith ally, defeated Abeloth, preventing another disaster that could endanger the galaxy. Eventually, Luke passed away, and became one with the Force.

Circa 230 BBY the Jedi training vessel, the Chu'unthor, crash-landed on the planetDathomir. The Jedi Master Yoda, along with other Jedi, fought with the Witches of Dathomir. Coming to a stalemate, he agreed to leave the ship's data tapes although left no means of reading them. The tapes were bestowed to Rell of the Singing Mountain Clan for safekeeping until such a time, Yoda foresaw, when a Jedi would come to save the planet from darkness, and the information could safely be shared with the Witches. Luke Skywalker, Yoda's final student, found his way to Dathomir and fulfilled his master's prophecy.[28]

In 19 BBY, the Jedi Knight Sha Koon dueled, and was defeated by, Darth Vader. As she died, Koon experienced a vision through the Force of a rebellion against the Galactic Empire, the Jedi's return in Luke Skywalker, Vader redeeming himself for his son by killing Emperor Palpatine, and the rebirth of the Jedi Order through Luke Skywalker. Realizing that the future did not depend on her, Koon died at peace.[29]

Kenobi took the infant to Tatooine personally, making the first leg of the journey in General Grievous's ship, the Soulless One to Nar Shaddaa, where he sold the starfighter to buy passage to the homeworld of the Lars family.[30] Intending to watch over Skywalker as he grew, Kenobi chose to go into hiding on Tatooine and live close to the boy.[2]

During the first days of his exile, Kenobi visited the Lars homestead every day, always trying to stay clear of Owen and Beru so that they would not see him, in order to watch Luke from afar. Later Kenobi's intervention in the family business of the Lars would mark him an unwelcome man in Owen's eyes, and, as a result, Kenobi would eventually stop watching the boy every single day. According to Skywalker, his first use of the Force was when he was roughly six and, through the Force, located a lost screwdriver that was under the couch. He was severely scolded by his uncle, with the argument that he could only have known its location because he placed it there, and afterward learned not to duplicate the stunt.[31]

The following section contains information from a Star Wars Tales1–20 story that was referenced in no other Star Wars Legends source. Lucasfilm considered all Tales 1–20 content that was not "completely outrageous or intentionally comic" to have some level of canonicity within the Legends continuity. Editor discretion is advised.

When Skywalker was ten years old, he ran away when Owen refused to tell him information concerning his father. Unfortunately, the boy became lost in a sandstorm. In the desert, he had a vision of a tall, dark figure, and shortly afterward he met a young boy named Annie. The two boys realized that they had much in common—neither knew much about their father, they were both great pilots, they both wanted to leave Tatooine some day, and that they could sense things before they happened. They soon discovered a Sand Person buried in the sand, and took his gaffi stick. They then sought shelter in a nearby cave but a pack of womp rats drove them back out into the storm, where they stumbled upon a red and whiteastromech droid. Annie rigged up the astromech's motivator to explode, causing a flare. Unfortunately, the flare attracted the attention of a krayt dragon that attacked the two boys. Skywalker lost sight of Annie, but on instinct, he killed the dragon by throwing the gaffi stick at its throat. Exhausted, Skywalker fell unconscious but, fortunately, Owen and a rescue party found him. Once they did, there was no sign of the krayt dragon or Annie. Skywalker, however, was certain it was more than just a dream, and Owen knew that there was something special about his nephew.[32]

Star Wars Tales 1–20 information ends here.

In what was possibly the first encounter Skywalker remembered having with Kenobi, Skywalker and Windy Marstrap were cruising down Beggar's Canyon in Skywalker's T-16 skyhopper in search of womp rats to bullseye. Crashing, the two managed to evade Sand People and discourage Jawas from stealing the skyhopper. Making camp in a cave, they were cornered by a krayt dragon, but Kenobi arrived and chased it off. Then, taming a dewback, the hermit returned Skywalker and Marstrap to the Lars homestead.[33][34]

The following section contains information from a Star Wars Tales1–20 story that was referenced in no other Star Wars Legends source. Lucasfilm considered all Tales 1–20 content that was not "completely outrageous or intentionally comic" to have some level of canonicity within the Legends continuity. Editor discretion is advised.

Sometime during his teenage years, Skywalker was challenged to a speeder race by a local braggart, Gorm Maldorf, in The Cage. On the morning of the race, Gorm's decapitated body was found in the cage. Skywalker began his own investigation of the death, and with the help of Kenobi, he deduced that Gorm had been accidentally killed by his companion Chester the night before, while attempting to rig The Cage for the race.[35]

Star Wars Tales 1–20 information ends here.

"Look, I need a farmhand who will pitch in, not a nephew with his head in the stars half the time."

Skywalker spent the first nineteen years of his life on the Lars' moisture farm, where his uncle tried unsuccessfully to discourage all of his adventurous tendencies. This created friction between the two as Skywalker's daring nature conflicted with Owen's staid sensibilities. As a teenager, Skywalker dreamed of adventures beyond Tatooine and clashed with his uncle over his desires to fly among the stars to distant worlds. When prompted with inquiries about his father's involvement in the Clone Wars, Lars told him that his father had been "a navigator on a spice freighter." Despite this mild deception, Skywalker became an adventure-seeking youth, piloting his Incom T-16 Skyhopper through Beggar's Canyon and racing his landspeeder with little regard for his own safety. In addition to sharing his father's natural piloting skills, Skywalker developed a knack for mechanical repairs while looking after droids and fixing the moisture vaporators.[7] At some point, he owned a dog.[36]

Skywalker cultivated a group of like-minded friends on Tatooine, amongst whom he earned the nickname "Wormie." The group included Deak, Windy, Camie Loneozner and Fixer, whose horizons did not extend much past Tatooine itself; and "Tank" and Biggs Darklighter, who shared Skywalker's dreams of joining the Imperial Academy and becoming pilots. Darklighter was perhaps Skywalker's closest friend, whom he looked up to as a brother. Biggs left for the Academy in 1 BBY, much to Skywalker's pride, jealousy and dismay. As more of Skywalker's friends left the planet to follow their dreams, he became increasingly frustrated that his uncle would not allow him to leave, claiming that he still needed help with the farm. In truth, Owen was trying to prevent Skywalker from following in his father's footsteps.[7]

The purchase of two droids by Skywalker's uncle changed the youth's life forever. With the discovery of a desperate message to Obi-Wan Kenobi contained within the astromech droidR2-D2, Skywalker soon found himself in the company of Kenobi after being attacked by Sand People. Kenobi then revealed to Skywalker that he had once been a Jedi Knight who served in the Clone Wars with Skywalker's father. He went on to inform Skywalker that his father was no cargo pilot, but a Jedi Knight struck down by Darth Vader.[7]

Soon after, Skywalker and Kenobi came upon a group of slaughtered Jawas—the same ones who sold the droids to Owen Lars. Luke deduced from learning that Imperial stormtroopers were responsible that they might have looked into the sales records of the droids, and rushed home in the hopes of saving his aunt and uncle. Upon quickly returning home, Skywalker discovered that he was too late: his aunt and uncle had been murdered by Imperial stormtroopers looking for R2-D2 and C-3PO. With his family dead, he agreed to accompany Kenobi to Alderaan to deliver the astromech, who was carrying the plans for the Death Star, to Bail Organa at the behest of Organa's daughter, Princess Leia Organa. The two traveled to the Chalmun's Cantina to obtain passage off the planet and met Han Solo and his first mate Chewbacca. Skywalker nearly had a fatal run-in with Ponda Baba in the cantina. Obi-Wan brokered a deal to pay Solo two thousand credits up front plus fifteen more when they arrived on Alderaan. Luke sold his speeder to pay for the two thousand up front.[7]

Rescue on the Death Star

After escaping stormtroopers and blasting off the planet in Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon, Kenobi began Skywalker's instruction in the ways of the Force, much to the mocking of Solo. This teaching, however, was soon interrupted by their arrival in the Alderaan system and their discovery of the planet's destruction. They then spotted a patrolling TIE Fighter, and, upon following it, found that it was approaching what appeared to be a small moon. To their horror, however, it turned out to be the Death Star. Caught by the Death Star's tractor beam, they were brought aboard the massive space station.[7]

Once on board, Kenobi separated from Skywalker, Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids to deactivate the tractor beam. However, when R2-D2 discovered that Leia Organa was being held captive, Skywalker insisted on rescuing her. With Solo and Chewbacca's help, the trio made it into the detention area in the guise of Imperial stormtroopers escorting a Wookiee prisoner. They were able to rescue Organa but had to jump into the garbage chute in order to escape the pursuing Imperial forces. Later, Skywalker and Organa were separated from Solo and Chewbacca, but after swinging across a deep shaft, they were to meet back up with their companions in the hangar bay.[7]

Eventually, the group escaped the Death Star, but only after Kenobi sacrificed himself in a duel with Darth Vader. They traveled to the hidden Rebel base on Yavin 4, even though the Death Star was tracking them. It was then that Solo received his reward for rescuing Organa and prepared to leave the group. Skywalker attempted to persuade him to stay and help them against the Empire but Solo refused, deeply disappointing him.[7]

Hero of the Rebellion

"There is a great disturbance in the Force.""I have felt it.""We have a new enemy: the young Rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker.""How is that possible?""Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true. He could destroy us.""He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him."

It was at the Yavin Base that Skywalker first became an official member of the Rebel Alliance. He spent much time in the base's flight simulators, showcasing his piloting skills for the Rebellion's leaders. In several simulations he was opposed by an entire starfleet and was killed only twice. Red LeaderGarven Dreis, after inspecting Skywalker's simulator results with Vanden Willard, approached him and told him how impressed he was with his abilities. Dreis welcomed him as a member of Red Squadron, gave him his own T-65 X-wing starfighter, and assigned him as Red Five.[34] It was Keyan Farlander who showed Luke the basics of flying an X-wing.[37]

Just prior to boarding his X-wing, Skywalker encountered his old friend Biggs Darklighter. The two would be flying as wingmen just like old times in the upcoming battle. In a brief conversation, Darklighter reassured Dreis of Skywalker's piloting skills, and promised Luke that the two would catch up on each other's stories when they got back.[7]

Skywalker took part in the Battle of Yavin, witnessing the death of many compatriots, including Darklighter. After the death of the two squadron leaders, he took it upon himself to lead the final assault. With the timely arrival of the Millennium Falcon and the guidance of Kenobi's spirit, Skywalker took a single shot and used the Force to direct his proton torpedoes to their target,[38] destroying the station. For this action he, Chewbacca, and Han Solo were awarded the Medal of Bravery.[7]

After the destruction of the Death Star, Skywalker spearheaded a number of missions for the Rebel Alliance. Within two weeks of the Battle of Yavin, Skywalker had participated in destroying the Imperial I-class Star DestroyerLiquidator, helped the Alliance collect new X-wings directly from Vors Voorhorian (where he displayed his extraordinary potential in bringing down a TIE Fighter using only his father's lightsaber), fought in the Battle of Vactooine, and traveled to Bonadan and the Unknown Regions. He was also sent to investigate new base locations on the Keeper's World, Akuria II, and Drexel. All three ventures ended in violence and failure. At some point, Skywalker reluctantly agreed to return to Tatooine in order to investigate a crashed Imperial Transport Capsule that Jawas managed to steal, although the mission became a lot more complicated upon being infected with Bledsoe's disease due to a Squill bite, although he nonetheless succeeded in uncovering the connection between Bledsoe's disease, the transport capsules, and Rebel outposts being destroyed.[39]

Luke, Leia and Wedge Antilles have been searching for a suitable world to establish a new Alliance base two months after the Battle of Yavin, using only T-65 X-wings to avoid attracting Imperials. One of these journeys led them to the Dominus system in the Outer Rim. There, the three are attacked by a Star Destroyer and a squad of TIE fighters. During the confrontation, Organa's fighter was hit and she was forced to make an emergency landing on Dominus III. Leia killed an Imperial pilot chasing after her, while Luke and Wedge repaired her ship. Later, the three escaped the Imperials by sneaking through a polar storm and returned to the Alliance fleet.[40]

After a practice run in the simulator, Skywalker and Antilles were called by Organa to a secret meeting. There, Organa talked about the possibility of an Imperial spy within the Alliance and founded Gray Flight, a new starfighter squadron that would exist outside the Alliance's official hierarchy. This new team included Skywalker, Organa, Antilles, Prithi, Rus Kal Kin, Falback Kord, Tess Alder, Ardana Cinn and Gram Cortess. Gray Flight's mission both to uncover the spy and find a home to make a permanent base for the Alliance.[41]

As they were performing an excercise routine, Skywalker and Prithi broke protocol. Upset that Luke disobeyed a direct order, Leia grounded him for the next six rotations and deactivated his X-wing's command codes.[42] While Organa took Gray Flight on a scouting mission, Skywalker went to have lunch with Prithi, who had also been grounded by Organa. However, Skywalker received a warning from Obi-Wan Kenobi's spirit, who said that Leia was in danger. Deciding to disobey Organa's orders again, Skywalker and Prithi took their ships and went to save her.[43] As they jumped to Organa's location, Skywalker and Prithi talked about how she was a Force-sensitive just like he was.[44]

Six months after the Battle of Yavin, Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca were dispatched to investigate BloodScar pirate activity near a Rebel supply line, although Solo was reluctant and unsure of his ultimate role in the Alliance. During the mission, Skywalker and the others became mixed up with a group of AWOL stormtroopers, and traveled with them on their ship after the rogue stormtroopers began following them and helped them beat off a pirate attack. The stormtroopers originally posed as Consolidated Shipping investigators while the Rebels posed as independent shippers, but they quickly learned each other's identity. Neither side fully trusted the other, but Skywalker was able to keep hostilities from breaking out between them. However, they then learned that Leia Organa was being hunted on Shelkonwa, and sought to help her, while the Hand of Judgment believed that the pirates had a connection to the Governor's office on Shelkonwa. The three Rebels, with some aid from the renegade Imperials, were able to sneak into Makrin City and rescue Organa, and escape back to the Rebel Alliance despite a large Imperial presence, including that of Darth Vader. During these events Ben Kenobi spoke to Luke through the Force and continued to teach him more about the Force.[45]

At an unknown point, Skywalker encountered the Teräs Käsi disciple and Force-sensitive Tusken Raider KkH'Oar'Rrhr, who had been tailing Skywalker to avenge his tribe due to it being wiped out by the "Demon Outlander" (actually his father, Anakin Skywalker). The Raider, in a vicious duel, defeated Skywalker and held him at his mercy. However, having encountered Vader earlier, who also resembled the "Demon Outlander", he spared Skywalker due to a vision he experienced, disobeying his mentor, the Emperor's HandArden Lyn, in the process, and left for parts unknown.[46]

Eager to serve the Rebel Alliance, Skywalker's early years were filled with adventures including fighting pirates, aiding in battle against Imperial forces and evading the clutches of Darth Vader and his agents. While on a scouting mission, Skywalker's vessel was caught in an ambush by Imperials that were blocading the Yavin Sector, thus forcing him to hide in the hyperwash of a transdimensional comet, depositing him onto the barren ice world Hoth. Skywalker returned to the Alliance, informed his superiors of the isolated world, and the Rebel Alliance planned to evacuate their outposts on Yavin 4 and Thila to set up a base on Hoth. In addition, Luke with Red Squadron aided the Rebels in their evacuation during the most intense portion of the blockade, and temporarily managed to save Dodonna, although he was unable to get him off the planet.

Before the year was out, Skywalker was also finding himself participating in missions outside of a starfighter cockpit. He saw action at Jabiim, Kalist VI, Kiva, and Per Lupelo, and learned first-hand of the horrors of war. He even met a clone trooper, Able, who was unaware of the events in the galaxy, with a little bit of history and showing of his lightsaber, Luke was able to convince Able that the Jedi took up arms against the Empire, who swore loyalty to the Alliance. On Kalist VI, Luke had an unexpected reunion with his childhood friend Janek Sunber, now a lieutenant in the Imperial Army, which ended with the near destruction of the Alliance Fleet.

Luke later joined a team sent to a desert moon near Aridus. When they were attacked by the long-extinct creatures known as rakghouls, he heard a calling in the Force and was carried off the by the rakghouls. He was soon confronted by a centuries old Jedi Celeste Morne, who was driven insane by the spirit of the much older Sith Karness Muur, who was residing inside the Muur Talisman she wore. Morne quickly defeated Skywalker and held him at saber point. Murr saw great potential in Luke and detached the talisman from Morne and leapt towards Luke. Leia pushed Luke out of the way and the talisman began to attach itself to Leia who Murr also saw potential in. Luke tried to pull the talisman off to no avail, however Celeste Morne regained her sanity and used her lightsaber to remove the talisman. She then wore it again intending to trap Muur within her body. As Morne prepared to leave the planet she was confronted by Luke who asked to know more about the Jedi's history and his destiny. Morne responded by telling him that there was darkness in his blood, in his past, and in his future. Morne then left, however now there was nothing controlling the rakghouls and they turned their sights on Luke and Leia. Luke told Leia to stay behind him and just before the rakghoul's could attack Han Solo and Chewbacca came to rescue them.[47]

In 1 ABY, Luke Skywalker was contacted by Mallatobuck, the wife of his friend Chewbacca, while he was working with R2-D2 on an engine in a workshop. Chewbacca was supposed to go home with Han Solo for Life Day—an important Wookiee festival—but there was no sign of the Millennium Falcon around Kashyyyk. Mallatobuck was worried, and she wanted to know whether Skywalker had seen her husband recently. The Rebel pilot had no clue why the Falcon was late, but he tried to reassure Mallatobuck, advising her to smile and to trust Solo and Chewbacca's ability to overcome any danger. At bit later, Darth Vader ordered the Blockade of Kashyyyk in hopes of catching captain Solo and his Wookiee first mate. However, the Imperial agents were fooled into thinking the Rebels had already left the planet, and the blockade ceased. Luke Skywalker then went to Kashyyyk along with Princess Leia and attended the traditional Life Day ceremony.[48]

In 2 ABY, he accompanied Leia Organa on a diplomatic mission to the Circarpous system, where they crash landed on the planet of Mimban. On Mimban, Skywalker and Organa encountered a Force-sensitive old woman named Halla. They struck a deal with her, promising to find the Kaiburr crystal if she promised to aid them in their escape off the planet. However, Darth Vader was also looking for the powerful Kaiburr crystal. Both in pursuit of the powerful Force relic, Skywalker and Vader dueled in the ancient Temple of Pomojema. Every movement of Skywalker was guided by the spirit of Kenobi and empowered by the crystal, so the young man amazingly managed to hold Vader off, even managing to sever the Dark Lord's mechanical arm. Shocked, Vader tumbled down a deep pit, ending their duel.[49]

Transferred to Echo Base alongside Rogue Squadron in 3 ABY, Skywalker participated in regular patrols of the frozen perimeter. While reconnoitering the surroundings of Echo Base, Skywalker was attacked by a wampa. He regained consciousness in the creature's cave, severed its arm with his lightsaber, and escaped only to find that he was far from Echo Base. After a long walk in the icy wind, he collapsed from exhaustion. Near death, he had a vision of Kenobi, who told him to seek the teachings of Yoda in the Dagobah system, and was then rescued by Han Solo.[14]

Skywalker recovered from his wounds, including a deeply gashed face and a crushed cheekbone,[50] in a bacta tank, but did not have much time to recover; one of Vader's thousands of probe droids, launched across the galaxy in search of the Jedi and the new Alliance base, had reached Hoth and sent proof of Rebel activity to the Galactic Empire. In the ensuing battle, Skywalker led Rogue Squadron in an effort to counter the attack and buy time for the evacuation of Echo Base. Under his leadership, the speeders proved more effective in attacking the massive Imperial walkers than the Empire realized was possible. Furthermore, even after he was shot down, Skywalker demonstrated his formidable potential as a Jedi when he proceeded to single-handedly destroy two walkers[51], including the Blizzard 4, with spectacular effectiveness. As Imperial forces breached the defenses, the last Rebel transport departed and Skywalker fled the planet aboard his X-Wing.[14]

Skywalker then traveled to Dagobah, where he encountered Yoda. In their initial meeting, Skywalker was frustrated and confused about his surroundings and was thus rather short tempered with the diminutive Yoda, who did not initially identify himself. Skywalker gained a new appreciation for the small creature upon learning his identity, though Yoda agreed to train Skywalker only at the insistence of Kenobi's spirit. Skywalker's training proved to be difficult, as his adventurous past had shaped his mind toward action and emotional instinct. When Yoda asked him to enter a cave in which he was supposed to find only what he took with him, he was challenged by a vision of himself wearing Darth Vader's armor. Shortly after, he had a vision of Han Solo and Leia Organa suffering at Cloud City on Bespin. Despite Yoda and Kenobi's warnings and disapproval, Skywalker rashly departed from Dagobah to rescue them.[14]

Duel with the Dark Lord

"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.""He told me enough! He told me you killed him!""No. I am your father."

Skywalker arrived at Cloud City and, with blaster drawn, moved in to rescue his friends. He was shot at by Boba Fett and ambushed by a group of stormtroopers and Imperial officers. He briefly spotted Organa being used as a human shield by a Imperial officer. As she was dragged away, Leia attempted to warn him that he was walking into a "trap". While attempting to pursue them, Skywalker's path was diverted to the carbon-freeze chamber where Darth Vader awaited him.[14]

Skywalker engaged the Dark Lord in a fierce duel. Vader proved his superiority in his customized Form V swordplay, executing cho mai and Dun Möch. After severing Skywalker's hand from his body, Vader attempted to seduce the weakened Jedi to the dark side of the Force, offering Skywalker the chance to destroy the Emperor and "bring order to the galaxy." In his efforts to sway Skywalker from his defiant refusals, Vader then revealed his identity as Skywalker's father.[14]

Luke throws himself into the air shaft.

Faced with this shocking and horrifying claim and the even more fearsome temptation to join Vader, Skywalker found the moral courage to choose death instead by throwing himself down a long shaft. He was sucked through an opening portal at the bottom of the chamber, then through another one which led out of the floating city. Skywalker grabbed onto a weather vane, preventing a fall to his death. Weak and helpless, Skywalker at first called out for Kenobi, but failed to contact him. He then reached out to Organa with the Force, and soon the Millennium Falcon, with Lando Calrissian, Organa, Chewbacca, and the droids onboard, arrived to rescue him. After reuniting with the Rebel fleet, Skywalker received his cybernetic hand aboard the Redemption.[14]

Alliance hero

A short time after the Battle of Hoth, Skywalker was assigned as part of a diplomatic delegation to Abridon. Doubtless playing off his heroic stature as the Rebellion's Jedi hero, Skywalker was one of five dignitaries sent to convince the Abridon Government Council to join the Rebel fold after its revolution against the Empire. However, Abridon's freedom didn't last. Grand GeneralMalcor Brashin and General Brenn Tantor arrived within days and crushed the rebellion. Hamman Flatt, a leader of the Abridon Nationalists, sold out the Rebel diplomats in an attempt to save his life. Skywalker, along with the rest of the delegation, was hunted down by Tantor and captured.[52]

From Abridon, Skywalker was sent to Kalaan Prison, from which he awaited transfer to Coruscant. Fortunately, he was rescued by none other than his captor, Tantor. Shortly after Skywalker's capture, Tantor had refused an order to massacre civilians. For that, he was imprisoned on Kalaan. Unlike Skywalker, Tantor had a unit of loyal stormtroopers to call upon. His stormtroopers freed Tantor, who escaped to the Rebels' General Tyr Taskeen, taking Skywalker with him to prove his good intentions.[52]

The aftermath of the Battle of Hoth scattered the Alliance, and Skywalker was stationed at temporary bases on Golrath and Arbra, from where he continued to perform missions for the Rebel Alliance. On one such mission, while boarding an Imperial ship, Skywalker found the entire crew dead. Suspecting an unusual crimson stone to be the cause of the mysterious deaths, Luke returned to Golrath, but was already infected with the disease. Soon, he was lying comatose with his eyes scarlet red. The disease Skywalker had contracted was indeed related to the crimson stone. Known as the Crimson Forever, it was caused when the two stones from the Red Nebula were separated. Calling Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca back from the search for Solo, Organa and Calrissian journeyed to find the other stone in the Falcon to save Skywalker. Actually, Skywalker's infection by the Crimson Forever was part of a revenge attempt by Domina Tagge, because Darth Vader had told her that Skywalker was responsible for the death of her brother, Orman. Tagge had set the trap for Skywalker when, after she retrieved the stones, her ship was boarded by Imperial stormtroopers. After her bounty hunters had fought the stormtroopers off, she triggered a canister with one of the stones inside on the Imperial ship, killing all of them and preparing the way for Skywalker's infection. Although Calrissian and Organa were captured by Tagge's minions, they escaped and another prisoner unleashed the second stone on Tagge's ship. Calrissian and Organa then struck a deal with Tagge, who was trapped in a sealed off compartment, to trade the second stone for a ship to escape with. Tagge agreed, and Organa and Calrissian brought the second stone back to Golrath, where the crystals were reunited and Skywalker was cured. After his recovery, they loaded the crystals on the abandoned Imperial ship and sent it into Golrath's sun, and Skywalker returned to serving the Alliance.[53]

When the Alliance discovered the Imperial superweapon Tarkin, a small commando team consisting of Skywalker, Organa, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO was dispatched to pose as workers and infiltrate the battle station. Flying the Falcon to Hockaleg—the location of the Tarkin—the Rebel commandos planned to use proton grenades to destroy the superweapon's reactor. Unfortunately, Vader was present on the station and, sensing Skywalker's presence, laid a trap to protect the reactor and catch the aspiring Jedi.[54] Only an assassination attempt on Vader's life by several Imperial officers allowed the Rebel team to escape. Fleeing the Sith, Skywalker and the others aborted their mission and left in a ship. They were hotly pursued by Imperial TIE Fighters, but Calrissian, who had stowed away on the Falcon, flew the freighter up from Hockaleg and blasted the fighters. The Rebel team then boarded the Falcon and prepared to make good their escape, but Vader, having survived the assassination attempt, now gave chase in his personal fighter. To escape him, Skywalker dumped the Falcon's water supply into space, which froze. Vader crashed into the wall of ice, ending that threat, but the Imperials then fired the Tarkin's main weapon at them. However, Organa had sabotaged it, so instead of destroying the Rebels, the weapon destroyed itself.[55]

In preparation for another Alliance mission, Skywalker, Calrissian, and Chewbacca were sent to retrieve four TIE Fighters. Meeting their contact, Orion Ferret, on Bazarre, Luke and Lando received a ship and the coordinates of the garbage world of Patch-4, where the fighters had been located. Upon arrival, they found the TIE Fighters, but were attacked by the Watchbeast, which unbeknownst to Skywalker, was controlled by Ferret. Skywalker and Calrissian fled into some nearby caves, only to find an entire community of people living inside. Acting off of a tip received from Serja Kesselrook, one of the inhabitants, Skywalker dashed for the ship they arrived in while Calrissian distracted the Watchbeast. Reaching the shuttle, Skywalker activated the sonic pacifier that controlled the beast, putting it to sleep. They then retrieved the fighters, the Falcon, and Chewbacca, and returned to Arbra.[56]

Ascending to the command of Rogue Squadron, Skywalker fell in love with one of his squadron mates, the talented and enigmatic Shira Brie. During a heated battle with Imperial forces, Skywalker's targeting computer was knocked out of commission, and he instead relied on the Force to pick his targets. Inexplicably, the Force told him to fire on a friendly vessel, and he shot Brie out of the sky.[57] For this act, Skywalker was stripped of command and put on trial. As a result, Skywalker's confidence in the Force was shaken. He investigated the matter and discovered that Brie was actually an Imperial agent. Skywalker cleared his name and was reinstated as a Rebel commander.[58]

Search for a scoundrel

Over time, Skywalker grew more powerful in the Force, and his exploits in the Alliance gained a higher profile. Skywalker received word that Boba Fett, who had in his possession the frozen Han Solo, was lurking near Gall. Skywalker and the Rogues set off to provide cover for Organa and Calrissian in the Millennium Falcon. However, the attack was unsuccessful as their guide, Dash Rendar, abandoned them and Boba Fett escaped. On the return trip, Wes Janson's astromech malfunctioned, took over his fighter, and targeted Skywalker's craft. He was able to disable it, though, thankfully without harm to Janson. Upon returning to their base, it was discovered that the droid had been sabotaged by a mechanic.[59]

Luke training with his new lightsaber outside Ben Kenobi's hut

Returning to Tatooine, Luke spent much time at the old residence of Obi-Wan Kenobi, where he constructed a new lightsaber with the help of a journal prepared by Kenobi, based on the design of his lightsaber. After fending off an attack by a swoop gang, with the aid of Dash Rendar, who had been hired to watch out for him, Skywalker encountered a message droid that was originally sent to Organa, who had gone to meet with Black Sun representatives. However, Skywalker was able to determine the password to reveal the message. The message was sent by Koth Melan, a Bothan spymaster. Skywalker traveled to meet with Melan along with Rendar. Melan sought Luke's help in attacking the freighter Suprosa, which was carrying top secret Imperial data. Skywalker trained the squadron of Bothan Y-wing pilots and led the attack. Although they suffered heavy losses, the information was retrieved, and Rendar again left after failing to prevent the deaths of several Bothan pilots. However, upon returning to the Bothan base, they fell under attack. Though the data was safely moved for translation, Skywalker was temporarily captured by Barabel bounty hunters. He managed to escape during another attack and was contacted by Chewbacca, who reported that Organa was in the hands of the Black Sun leader, Prince Xizor, who had been behind the repeated assassination attempts on Skywalker to aggravate Darth Vader as part of a power struggle with the Dark Lord. Skywalker met up with Calrissian and Chewbacca and smuggled them into Imperial Center. After joining forces once more with Rendar, Skywalker was able to infiltrate Xizor's palace by entering through the sub-sub-basement sewers. They were able to rescue Organa, but were intercepted by numerous guards. Xizor fired on Skywalker, but the aspiring Jedi easily blocked his shots. At that point, Calrissian activated the timer on a thermal detonator and dropped it into the maintenance shaft, dooming the building. Xizor and the guards fled, allowing the rescue party to meet the Millennium Falcon, which was piloted by C-3PO and R2-D2. Before they left, Skywalker was challenged by Guri, Xizor's powerful Human replica droid. Skywalker accepted the challenge, beating her empty-handed, but refused to finish her. Along with Organa, Calrissian, and Chewbacca, he escaped in the Millennium Falcon. They were pursued by Xizor's private fleet, but the intervention of Rogue Squadron and the Imperial Navy allowed the Falcon to escape, escorted by the Rogues.[59]

Shortly thereafter, Skywalker and his friends were sent to Lahsbane[60] to investigate the disappearance of Rebel agents Tay Vanis and Yom Argo. The search took them from Lahsbane to Iskalon, Gamandar, Kabray, a stopover at Belderone until finally, it concluded with the discovery of a broken and comatose Vanis on Arcan IV.[61] While there, Calrissian and Chewbacca learned that Boba Fett had finally delivered Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. Skywalker began to put a plan for rescue in motion.[source?]

Rescuing a hero

"I am taking Captain Solo and his friends. You can either profit by this or be destroyed. It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers."

Skywalker finally arrived on Tatooine nine months after the Battle of Hoth, early on in 4 ABY (39:3). When Organa and half the rescue party were held captive by Huttcrime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure, Skywalker went to free them and Solo. Skillful use of the Force allowed Skywalker to get past Jabba's Gamorrean guards and his majordomo, Bib Fortuna, but the Hutt was not so easily swayed and attempted to feed Skywalker to his rancor.[10]

Skywalker killed the fearsome monster, but Jabba was furious and sentenced all the captured Alliance heroes–including an unfrozen Solo–to death in the Pit of Carkoon. However, right before he was put into the pit, Skywalker escaped when R2-D2 shot his lightsaber to him and freed the other prisoners on the skiff. The aspiring Jedi massacred Jabba's guards, though he sustained a minor wound on his cybernetic hand, when he was shot by Taym Dren-garen.[10]

Skywalker, Solo, Organa, Chewbacca, Calrissian and the droids escaped through a menacing sand storm after destroying both Jabba's barge and the gangster himself. Mara Jade, at Jabba's palace undercover as a dancer, was unable to complete her mission of assassinating Skywalker because Jabba would not allow her to come with him on the barge. Skywalker later had a vision of how she would have prevented his escape when he revisited Dagobah.[10]

The test of Endor

"Now, go, my son. Leave me.""No. You're coming with me. I will not leave you here. I've got to save you!""You already have, Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister… you were right."

Not long after, Skywalker returned to Dagobah to complete his training and received confirmation from Yoda and the spirit of Kenobi that Vader was indeed his father, Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi Knight who turned to the dark side of the Force. The elderly and dying Yoda told Luke that his training was complete, but in order to be a Jedi, he would have to confront Darth Vader again, a notion that Skywalker found painful to accept. Furthermore, Skywalker realized that Organa was his sister and would be in peril if their father discovered her identity.[10]

Skywalker nevertheless accompanied his friends on the mission to the forest moon of Endor to knock out the shield generator that protected the second Death Star in orbit, immediately upon arrival at the briefing aboard the Home One. Upon approaching Endor, Skywalker sensed Vader's presence on the nearby Star Destroyer Executor, and realized his presence endangered the mission. His companions dismissed his concerns, and proceeded on. However, thanks to Skywalker merely accompanying the mission, Vader was able to detect the presence of the Rebels in the shuttle in which they infiltrated the forest moon, but allowed them to land so he could deal with them himself. When the Rebel force was discovered by Imperial scout troopers, Skywalker and Organa pursued them on speeder bikes through the dense foliage and successfully prevented them from reporting the Rebels' presence. Skywalker showed off his skill in the Jedi ways by leaping from one speeder to another while traveling at high speed and deflecting the laser fire of another, which he destroyed with a stroke of his new lightsaber. However, during the high speed chase, Organa became separated from Skywalker.[10]

Upon learning of her disappearance, Solo, Skywalker, Chewbacca, and the droids went looking for her, but were captured by a tribe of Ewoks. Skywalker prevented a skirmish with the small forest-dwellers and ingeniously rescued the party after the Ewoks, who thought C-3PO was a god, planned to sacrifice the Rebel heroes. He used the Force to levitate the protocol droid, convincing the Ewoks to release and aid the Rebels. However, Skywalker knew that he had to confront Vader. In the Ewok village, Skywalker revealed to Organa her true familial heritage and resolved to face Vader. Not long after, Skywalker surrendered to Vader in an attempt to bring the Dark Lord back to the light side, but he ultimately became a prisoner of the Emperor.[10]

Once on board the Death Star, the Emperor and Vader attempted to corrupt Skywalker with promises to save his friends from their trap if he joined the dark side. As a backup idea, the Emperor goaded Skywalker to strike him down to save the Rebel Fleet, which was being decimated in the Battle of Endor. Skywalker, in a moment of weakness, lashed out, but Vader stopped his strike.[10]

Despite the clash, Skywalker managed to keep emotional control, much to the frustration of his enemies. Maintaining control of his emotions, he hid himself and refused to continue to fight. However, that control was lost when Vader telepathically sensed the existence of Skywalker's sister and threatened to corrupt her instead.[10]

Luke defeats Vader in their final confrontation.

Furious at the threat, Skywalker viciously attacked, wielding the full power of Djem So, and eventually cut off the Sith Lord's right hand, nearly killing Vader. Palpatine then demanded he finish Vader and take his place at his side. Luke, however, threw his lightsaber away, realizing that he was becoming what he sought to destroy. He declared himself a Jedi, just as Anakin Skywalker had been before him. Enraged, the Emperor unleashed Force lightning against Skywalker to torture and eventually kill the young Jedi.[10]

Vader found himself in a similar position as he had twenty-three years earlier, when he made the decision to save Palpatine from Mace Windu, allowing the Sith Lord to torture and kill his would-be executor with Force lightning.[2] Palpatine declared his intention to kill Luke, and Vader made the decision to act. He picked his master from the ground, and cast him down the same shaft Palpatine had intended for Vader to use to dispose of Luke's body.[62] But in doing so, he turned Palpatine's lethal Force lightning against him, irreparably damaging his life-supporting suit of armor. In an act of self-sacrifice and love for his son, Anakin Skywalker re-emerged to destroy the Emperor.[10]

Luke, tortured at the hands of the Emperor.

On the deteriorating Death Star at the foot of Vader's shuttle, Skywalker removed the former Vader's mask and looked upon his father's face for the first and only time before Anakin became one with the Force. Skywalker took his father's body on board the shuttle and escaped just before the Death Star's destruction. Back on Endor, Skywalker cremated his father's armor in the manner of a Jedi's funeral, as his father's body had already vanished.[63] He then joined in the celebration of the apparent defeat of the Empire, during which he saw the spirits of Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker appear. Thus, Skywalker came full circle both as a Jedi and as a person.[10]

Post-Endor

"Sometimes I feel like I've been running full speed since we blasted out of Tatooine with the droids and Ben Kenobi way back when."

The day after his duel with Darth Vader at the Battle of Endor, while still recovering from the wounds inflicted by Palpatine's Force lightning, Skywalker saved Wedge Antilles from certain injury or death. Antilles had discovered a message droid that was threatening to self-destruct, requesting help for the beleaguered outpost world Bakura.

Luke with Han and Leia, at the time of the Invasion of Bakura

Skywalker commanded an Alliance mission to the Bakura system, which was under siege by a strange alien race, the Ssi-ruuk, which used the life force of their captives to power their technology. There Skywalker and Organa negotiated a temporary truce between the Rebel and Imperial forces to help fight off the invasion. Skywalker encountered a young Bakuran senator, Gaeriel Captison, and they eventually developed a mutual attraction for each other, but parted ways after the mission was complete. During the mission, Skywalker was infected with Olabrian trichoid parasites by the treacherous Imperial governor Wilek Nereus and was also taken prisoner by the Ssi-ruuk. With the aid of Dev Sibwarra, a Force-sensitive Human serving the Ssi-ruuk, Skywalker was able to escape the Ssi-ruuk, disable their ship, and win the battle. Skywalker later dictated the terms of surrender to Wilek Nereus for the Bakurans to have their freedom to choose their governing authority. The discovery of Dev Sibwarra during the Invasion of Bakura fueled Skywalker's conviction for finding others like him in the galaxy. Palpatine and Vader's purge was not absolute. Surely, he believed, there were Force-users that had escaped the dark times.[64]

After returning from Bakura, Skywalker led the pilots of the under-strength Rogue Squadron to Corellia on a vacation/scouting mission. They found the planet to be almost free of Imperial occupation. However, while sitting in a tapcafe in Coronet City, the city came under attack by General Weir and his forces. The Rogues held off the stormtroopers sent after them, and Luke's Jedi skills came in handy in defending the other pilots from blaster fire and keeping an AT-ST from falling over until Tycho Celchu and Ten Numb could get away from it. After Nunb was captured, Luke pursued his Imperial captors, but they escaped off the planet in transports. Fortunately, Tycho and the astromechs brought their X-wings for them. Taking off in pursuit, they were delayed by a diversionary TIE fighter attack on a civilian convoy. Nevertheless, Skywalker and the other Rogues tracked Weir and Ten to Tralus, where they found a hidden underground base. After a short firefight, Weir fled in a TIE and Skywalker and Antilles commandeered TIEs of their own to pursue him. Meanwhile, Wes Janson discovered that Nunb was already dead, tortured and killed by Weir. Skywalker and Antilles shot the general down, and they took him back to the Alliance as a prisoner. Shortly afterward, Skywalker turned responsibility for the squadron over to Wedge.[65]

Plans for a revival

However, Luke had to put his dreams for a New Jedi Order on hold. The death of Palpatine had created a time of frenetic activity, and Luke was caught up aiding worlds trying to break from the Empire at its time of weakness. On the world of Solay, Luke helped the local resistance overthrow KingBlackart. During the coup, Luke fell in love with a local girl named Mary, and hoped for the first time to leave the war behind. However, Luke was jolted back into reality when the Empire returned to enslave Solay. Mary was killed in the reoccupation, and Luke escaped the planet with the aide of a local named Braxas. The death of Mary renewed Luke's commitment to the Rebellion, and he took to his duties with renewed fervor.[66]

At the Rebellion's base on the moon of Endor, Luke began to hone his Force powers with Wicket and the Ewoks. It was there that Luke would receive his first official mission since the death of Palpatine. Luke became a representative of the victorious Rebellion and visited the planets of Iskalon and Shawken to ask for representatives to attend the First Conference of Free Peoples. On this mission, Luke met the IskalonianKiro. Kiro was Force-sensitive and hoped that Luke would train him to become a Jedi Knight. However, the death of Sibwarra had made Luke question his readiness to train a new generation of Jedi Knights and he refused Kiro's request. Kiro was visibly upset, but he accepted Luke's judgment.[9] Around this time Luke began to train more recruits for the Alliance including Barney, Rik Duel, Chihdo, Dracos, Dani, and Faron. Although they may not have been Force-sensitive, they too wished to be trained as Jedi Knights, but Luke's mind was made up and his fear of new Jedi falling to the dark side kept him from schooling them in the powers of the Force. Unfortunately, Luke's decision would later come back to haunt him.[67]

During his time as a squad commander, another young rebel named Vila arrived on the forest moon demanding that Luke train her so that she could save her homeworld of Naldar. Luke's convictions held strong, and although he promised to help Vila he would not train her. Luke's fear of training new Jedi was tested on Naldar where he came into conflict with Flint, another young man that he had refused to train.[67] Flint had become the Dark Lord of the Sith under Lumiya and was leading Imperial forces on Naldar.[68] Luke fought the Dark Lord and realized that his refusal to train Flint had actually created evil instead of preventing it. Luke was able to make Flint realize how lost he had become, but the ensuing battle claimed the life of Vila. Flint was put in Alliance custody, and a Force vision with Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the redeemed Anakin Skywalker made Luke realize that he should no longer be afraid of the dark side. Luke decided to take up Kiro's request to be trained as a Jedi Knight, and Kiro became Luke's first apprentice.[67]

Nagai-Tof War

Before the training could start, Luke was caught up in the Nagai–Tof War. The NagaiCommanderOzrei N'takkilomandrife had created infighting among the rebels on Saijo, and Luke, Leia, and Han were forced to resolve the dispute by discovering the traitor Durne.[69] However, this was just the start of the conflict, and in a routine check on Kinooine, Luke came face to face with the power of the Nagai war machine. Along with Kiro and Dani, Luke surveyed the planet, searching for a missing scouting party. Unknown to Luke, his scouting party had been executed by Lumiya and her Nagai aide, Den Siva. Dani and Kiro encountered the dangerous Sith Lady before Luke, but Kiro was critically injured and Dani was captured by Den Siva. Luke confronted Lumiya, but suffered one of his first defeats when she attacked him with herlightwhip. Luke was captured and placed in an underground cell on the planet.[70]

Luckily, Kiro had recovered from his more serious wounds, and he set out to rescue his master and Dani. Kiro infiltrated the prison, killing the Nagai guards. He released Luke and helped him create a shoto. Kiro and Luke confronted Lumiya again, but the outcome was drastically different. Luke used two sabers against Lumiya's whip, and the Dark Lady was defeated. Unmasking the woman, Luke was surprised to find that her true identity was Shira Brie, his former love. Unfortunately, at this exact moment, the Nagai fleet arrived and Luke and Kiro were forced to bring their prisoner with them into hiding.[70] The team met another snag when they were forced to tie up Lumiya so that they could rescue Dani. Kiro and Luke rescued the Zeltron, but their escape was foiled by Den Siva, who attacked Kiro and critically injured him leaving him to die in the waters of Kinooine. Luke and Dani were forced to make a hasty retreat believing that Kiro had been killed. Luke had lost another potential apprentice, and Lumiya escaped from her bonds.[71]

The war took a step up during the Second Battle of Endor where Alliance forces came into direct conflict with Nagai forces. Space forces led by Lumiya almost destroyed the Alliance fleet, but Luke's leadership on the ground and Lando's tactics in the air turned the tide.[72] The seriousness of the Nagai threat now apparent, Luke began to take a more central role in dealing with the Nagai. In the Battle of Iskalon, Luke faced the forces of General Kruskob Tiltanka, destroying the Nagai presence on the world. Luke also became reunited with his apprentice Kiro during the engagement, but Kiro's priorities had changed, and he had opted to remain on Iskalon to protect his people. Luke was saddened by Kiro's decision but accepted it.[73]

The war took another turn when the Nagai's sworn enemies, the Tof, entered the war in the Twelfth Battle of Zeltros. Luke was forced to fight against the Tof and the Hiromi Empire when they invaded Zeltros, threatening the lives of Dani, Leia, and the Nagai.[74][75] Luke's assault helped in the capture of a Hiromi ship, ending the battle and the threat of the Hiromi Empire.[76] The final battle of the war came at the Battle of Saijo after the Alliance allied with the Nagai and the Empire against the Tofs. Luke led a task force in capturing the Tof leader Prince Sereno.[77]

Lost City of the Jedi

Luke and Admiral Ackbar would later that year journey to Dac to stop Trioculus from obtaining the Glove of Darth Vader from the ocean depths. Luke was able to defeat Trioculus' attacks and destroyed his ally, but Trioculus managed to escape with the glove.[78] Luke, advised by the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, then sought out the Lost City of the Jedi on Yavin IV. In the Lost City, he discovered a young boy named Ken, alleged to have been a Jedi Prince. However, Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side Kadann declared that Ken was a threat to Trioculus' rule of the Empire and tried to find and destroy him. What Luke didn't know was that this Kadann was an imposter, and Trioculus was a puppet set up by Grand MoffHissa and the rest of the Central Committee of Grand Moffs.[79] Although the false Kadann managed to capture Ken, Luke helped Ken escape, and then trapped the false Kadann and his troops in the Lost City after ensuring that they could not recover the lost information stored in a computer. Luke and Ken then left the moon.[80] Luke later aided in the escape of Ken's father, Triclops, from an asylum on Duro.[81] The threat of the false Kadann was later stopped by Grand Admiral Afsheen Makati.[source?]

Battle of Mindor

Luke would participate in the Battle of Mindor, leading the New Republic troops. The ship Luke was commanding from was destroyed and split into three pieces; Luke used the Force to ease the descent into the planet and survive, then allowed himself to be captured by Lord Shadowspawn's troops. Luke then came face to face with Shadowspawn, who arranged a duel between them. During the duel Luke sensed that something was not right about Shadowspawn and instead of killing him destroyed his Shadow Crown, revealing Nick Rostu, who was being controlled by Shadowspawn. Cronal would then have Luke imprisoned again and use his pawns to trap Skywalker and attempt to control him, during this time Cronal kept Luke within the Dark. Despite spending an eternity in the Dark, Luke was able to find himself and use the Force to help Nick free him. Luke would later come face to face with Cronal's newest body, Kar Vastor, who bit into Luke's neck. However, Luke had found a way to use Cronal's own power and used it to free Vastor of Cronal's influence. Luke tracked down Vastor, who, after being freed, was frightened and confused and helped to calm him down; he then used Vastor's intimate connection with Cronal to establish a link between them. Cronal, who was shocked that Skywalker had used the Force to contact him while in hyperspace, thought his own power in the Dark was enough to snuff out Luke's light. He realized too late Skywalker was using him as a conduit to free all of the minds which Cronal controlled, which caused all of them to die painful deaths. Luke, however, would not let go and felt each and every one of them die because he felt as though he owed them that much. After the battle Luke resigned from his position as general a mere 6 months after he attained it. Luke then hired Lorz Geptun to build an indictment against him for the battle, but Geptun used the facts he uncovered to write a holothriller script about the battle, which a dismayed Luke reluctantly accepted.[source?]

Luke fighting for the New Republic

Later adventures

Luke also went on a mission to Hanoon to liberate the people and collect the shards of the Vor'Na'Tu, a powerful Force artifact, after he and Leia were prompted to do so by the spirit of a deceased Jedi Master, Echuu Shen-Jon. Although the artifact was destroyed, the people of Hanoon did gain their freedom from Imperial rule.[83]

Skywalker continued his Jedi training, and traveled the galaxy in search of documents and artifacts that would teach him about the Jedi Knights of old, although much of what he found had been fabricated by the Emperor. He also designed a regimen of training exercises for his sister, although she rarely found the time or the peace of mind to do them.[84] Despite his travels, he was still called upon to help his friends and the New Republic in other ways. He flew his X-wing and accompanied Lando Calrissian to the Avatar Orbital Platform to help Han and Chewbacca rescue the Wookiee slaves on the platform. Luke also accompanied Alliance ground troops under Rand Talor in their final drive on the Imperial Palace on Coruscant in their push to capture the planet.[83]

As the New Republic settled onto newly-conquered Coruscant, Skywalker began using the planet as a home base from which to search for traces of other Jedi. Over a period of several weeks, he followed various trails across the galaxy, until Lieutenant Corran Horn, a pilot of Rogue Squadron who had been kidnapped by Director of Imperial IntelligenceYsanne Isard, discovered a Jedi Exhibition in Coruscant's Galactic Museum while escaping from Isard's prison, the Lusankya. Skywalker spent much of the next ten days studying what displays of the exhibition the Emperor hadn't destroyed, but emerged to attend an awards ceremony held for members of Rogue Squadron following the conclusion of Tycho Celchu's murder trial. While speaking with Wedge Antilles at the ceremony's reception, Skywalker met Senator Borsk Fey'lya for the first time, as well as Horn, the smuggler Mirax Terrik, and the VratixQlaern Hirf. Thanking Terrik and Hirf for their role in developing a cure for the dreaded Krytos virus, Skywalker handed Horn a lightsaber, informing him that his grandfather had been a Jedi Knight of the Old Republic. He then invited Horn to train with him to become a Jedi, but Horn declined, citing promises he had made to other prisoners of the Lusankya and unfinished business with Isard. Skywalker then stood by as Fey'lya informed Horn, Antilles, and a gathering crowd of other Rogues that they would not be going after Isard, and watched as the Rogues resigned from the New Republic in order to do just that.[85] A short time later, Skywalker encountered Tyria Sarkin, a New Republic pilot with marginal Force sensitivity. Luke regretfully informed her that her discipline at the time was insufficient to invest in Jedi training.[86]

The Witches of Dathomir

Luke fighting Teneniel Djo in the ruins of the Chu'unthor.

In 8 ABY, Leia Organa was being courted by the Hapan prince Isolder for her hand in marriage. In response, Han Solo abducted Leia and escaped with her to an unknown planet. The galaxy was scandalized by the apparent kidnapping involving two of the Rebellion's most famous figures. Luke naturally started investigating and found some Hapan investigators roughing up Drackmarian warlord Omogg. He stopped them and, as a reward, was given the name and location of the planet Han had won in a sabacc game from Omogg and where he was taking Leia: Dathomir. Luke and R2-D2 traveled with Isolder on the Song of War to Dathomir, where he faked his death and, using the Force, controlled his descent through the atmosphere. During their adventures on Dathomir, Luke taught Isolder the principles of the Force, despite Isolder having negligible Force-sensitivity. On this planet, Luke discovered the ruins of the Chu'unthor, an ancient Jedi training vessel and an entire Force-sensitive culture of witches. Luke was seen as a rarity among the Dathomiri as there were not any male "witches." One of the young witches, Teneniel Djo, was at first attracted to Luke, but she later developed an interest in Isolder and would eventually marry him. Luke decided to aid Teneniel Djo's clan of witches, the Singing Mountain Clan, against the dark side users on Dathomir, the Nightsisters. In this battle, he was nearly killed by their leader, Gethzerion, but healed himself in only a few hours using the Force. He then went on to pilot the Millennium Falcon, operating all of its systems by himself, using the power of the Force to greatly enhance the effectiveness of the ship, and rescued Han from certain death at the hands of Gethzerion. Using the Falcon, Luke shot down Gethzerion's shuttle, killing her and all aboard, and disabled the orbital nightcloak placed in orbit by Zsinj.[28]

Luke Skywalker with his lightsaber ignited

The ancient archives recovered from the Chu'unthor were brought back to Luke's apartment on Coruscant and it was there that Leia contacted him during the mission to Tatooine to recover the Killik Twilight. He was reading the documents at the time. After a conversation about the Killik Twilight, Leia and Luke talked about their discoveries about their father's childhood on Tatooine. Luke told his sister that he had done a name search on the HoloNet and had discovered that Anakin was a Podracer and had won his freedom by winning the Boonta Eve Classic. Leia told Luke about her experience with the Force and her fears of becoming like Darth Vader to which Luke encouraged her to forgive him, and told her that if she held onto her fear and anger would turn her into what she feared.[87]

After these events, Skywalker's Jedi search intensified and the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi once again visited him. Kenobi said his final farewell to Skywalker in 9 ABY. His spirit would no longer pay Luke any visits, lest for one meeting two decades later. Skywalker, although saddened, realized he was not the last of the old Jedi, but rather, the first of the new.

A new Imperial threat

"I'm not going to serve him, Skywalker. I want you to promise that you'll kill me before you let him do that to me.""I'll promise you this. Whatever happens in there, you won't have to face him alone. I'll be there to help you."

The next crisis Skywalker was to face was the return of Grand AdmiralMitth'raw'nuruodo, or Thrawn. During his return from obscurity, Thrawn attempted to capture Luke on several occasions to turn him over to the Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth, but the Jedi was able to evade his forces, though his escapes were often narrow. Accompanying Han and Leia on a trip to Bimmisaari, Luke was ambushed by a group of Noghri commandos, who were out to capture both him and Leia for C'baoth. Slaying his attackers with a throw of his lightsaber, Luke quickly raced down to aid Leia and with the help of Chewbacca got the Solos onboard the Millennium Falcon and safely away to Coruscant.[88]

While Han and Leia were visiting the recently raided world of Bpfassh on a diplomatic mission, Luke decided to journey to Dagobah and visit Yoda's old residence, which he found had almost completely decayed. Exploring the dark side cave where he had been tested years ago, Skywalker had a vision of a woman interrupting his rescue at the Pit of Carkoon, and also found an old piece of electronics, but left soon after arriving. Instead, he chose to go to Nkllon, a superhot mining world where Lando Calrissian commanded an operation, intending to ask Lando about the beckon call device he had found. In transit to the planet's surface, Skywalker found that Han and Leia had also decided to see Lando again, but before they could land, an Imperial Star Destroyer Judicator arrived in the system. In his X-wing, Luke engaged some of the TIE fighters that were launched, but was distracted by a disturbance in the Force caused by C'baoth reaching out to him. Thankfully, the Judicator was only after some of Calrissian's mole miners, and as such did little damage to Lando's Nomad City and did little to pursue the Millennium Falcon or Skywalker.[88]

Luke, along with the Solos, did land on Nomad City, as Lando offered them his hospitality. Skywalker asked about the device he had found on Dagobah, which Calrissian identified as a beckon call, and Skywalker suspected it had once belonged to a Dark Jedi whom Yoda had once defeated in combat. Hearing of a rumor of a Jedi Master on Jomark, Luke decided to investigate the rumor, but it was in fact a trap by Thrawn to capture him and turn him over to C'baoth, who was on Jomark.[88]

In deep space, Luke's fighter was yanked out of hyperspace and he awoke from a hibernation trance to find himself facing an Imperial Star Destroyer and an Interdictor cruiser. While Luke was able to escape the Star Destroyer's tractor beam, he damaged his hyperdrive and was derelict in space. Thankfully, Luke was rescued by the smuggler chief Talon Karrde, who stunned him, but hid him from Thrawn, although he kept him as a sort of hostage while he decided what to do with him. Around the time of these events, Karrde introduced Luke to his associate Mara Jade, who had been the one to find him drifting in space. She quickly formed an antagonistic relationship with Luke. A fiercely determined Force-sensitive warrior, Mara was once a deadly agent of Palpatine. She was one of the Emperor's Hands, a deadly group of Dark Jedi who could hear the Emperor's call from across the galaxy. Jade held Skywalker responsible for the destruction of her career and purpose, and desired to kill him. Meanwhile, Karrde's ship transported Luke back to Myrkr while the smuggler chief decided his fate.[88]

When Thrawn unexpectedly arrived on Myrkr, Karrde placed Luke in a shed. However, Luke escaped, freed R2-D2 and hijacked a Skipray blastboat, but was soon pursued by Mara Jade in a similar ship. During the pursuit, both ships crashed, stranding Luke, Mara, and R2 deep in the forests of Myrkr, in which the Force could not be used due to the Force-dampening effect of ysalamiri. Despite repeated vornskr attacks, Mara held Luke captive, and she made her glaring hatred for him well known, even after he saved her life. In fact, it required considerable persuasion on Luke's part to keep her from shooting him outright. While they were stranded, Luke was able to get Mara to explain her past, and she told him that she had once been a servant of the Emperor and had been sent to Jabba's palace to kill him. Using R2-D2's counterpart-level connection with Luke's X-wing, they were able to send a secure message to Karrde. As they left the forest, Luke and Mara entered Hyllyard City, which was patrolled by Thrawn's stormtroopers. However, Karrde had sent some of his associates, accompanied by Lando and Han, who had arrived to discuss a deal between Karrde and the New Republic and wound up learning about Luke's capture and were present when Thrawn arrived, to ambush the stormtroopers and help Luke escape. Han posed as a prisoner of Karrde's people to get close to Luke, and with the help of Han's trick cuffs and detonators hidden in the weapons that the Imperials had confiscated from Karrde's people, Lando and Karrde's people sprung their trap, but only after Luke warned them to wait until they were near a stone arch. While the arch normally would have provided cover for the stormtroopers, Luke used his lightsaber to slice through the pillars supporting it and dropped the sizable structure onto the stormtroopers. Luke then returned to Karrde's base with Han and Lando and the three left in the Millennium Falcon.[88]

Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade confront Joruus C'baoth on Jomark.

Arriving at Sluis Van, they soon found themselves in the midst of the Battle of Sluis Van and spent several frantic moments of Han flying the Falcon while Luke and Lando shot off Imperial TIE fighters. To make matters worse, Thrawn had dispatched boarding teams which had begun to take control of many of the ships present there, and only Lando's recall of the codes that controlled the mole-miners that Thrawn had seized and was now using to board the New Republic ships saved many of the ships from capture. The boarding teams were killed when Lando reactivated the mole-miners, but the fleet was left crippled, even though the Imperial warships withdrew.[88]

A call from Leia informed him of Admiral Ackbar's arrest for alleged treason, but due to the bureaucratic nature of the Sluissi government and the cleanup after the battle, Skywalker was unable to get his starfighter repaired. While he was talking with Calrissian, who was similarly stranded, Lando noticed a smell of carababba tabac and discerned that Niles Ferrier, a ship thief, was in the shipyards. Skywalker accompanied Lando to Corridor Six of the shipyards and found Ferrier with a mixed group of aliens and humans. After a brief tussle with Ferrier's Defel accomplice, Lando was able to use Luke's reputation to persuade Ferrier that continued resistance was futile, and in turn they agreed to let the ship thieves go.[15]

Ending the Thrawn Crisis

Once he was finally able to return to Coruscant, Luke dug into the past of Jorus C'baoth, the Jedi that was rumored to be on Jomark. However, he was called to meeting with Leia and Han to discuss Fey'lya's charges against Admiral Ackbar. On an idea from Solo, Luke agreed to meet Lando and Han at New Cov to investigate the planet; as it was one of the few locations that Fey'lya's Bothan faction had defended viciously during the war, Solo believed the Bothans were hiding something. While in a tapcafe waiting for his friends to arrive, Luke helped solve a barroom dispute, enlisting the aid of Lando and a reluctant Niles Ferrier, who happened to be in the room. An Imperial raid forced Luke and Lando to link back up with Han and return to their ships. A brief firefight with Imperial forces ensued, but a distraction by the Lady Luck's slave circuit allowed Skywalker to get to his X-wing and pin down the Imperials. As they flew into orbit, Skywalker shot off TIE fighters from an Imperial Star Destroyer off of the Lady Luck, until the help that a local contact named Irenez had promised Solo arrived in the form of three Dreadnaught-class cruisers. As the three cruisers beat off the Star Destroyer, Han and Lando informed Luke that they could continue the mission without him, and Skywalker decided to journey to Jomark.[15]

Meeting C'baoth, Skywalker was surprised by the old man's mood shifts, but readily agreed to continue learning from the Jedi Master. The casual decidedness that C'baoth employed to mete out justice to the local inhabitants only added to Luke's surprise. Finding C'baoth to be unpleasable, Luke endured several lectures from the other, many of which seemed contradictory of Yoda's and Obi-Wan's teachings.[15]

After he had been there for some time, Mara Jade arrived on Jomark, looking for him to plead for his help. Thanks to one of Thrawn's subterfuges, she had given up Talon Karrde to the Grand Admiral and wanted Skywalker's help in rescuing him. The subtle Force influence that C'baoth had been exerting on him removed by a ysalamir in Jade's possession, Skywalker agreed to leave, rejecting C'baoth's teaching. C'baoth objected and attacked them with the Force, but R2-D2 used the X-wing's laser cannon to blast near C'baoth, knocking him out with the shock. Recalling how he was able to redeem Vader, Skywalker would not let Mara finish C'baoth off, and he and Jade left for the Wistril system, where they posed as Imperial crewmen flying a supply shuttle to the Chimaera.[15]

Onboard the Imperial vessel, Luke and Mara disguised themselves as TIE pilots and Luke infiltrated the detention block by way of the garbage pit while Mara sliced into the Star Destroyer's computer. He was able to free Karrde undiscovered and they reversed his trail back out before Thrawn realized they were aboard. Escaping the stormtrooper cordon by going into the deep storage area, Karrde, Luke, and Mara found the Millennium Falcon, recovered by Thrawn after it had been left derelict over Endor, and used the vessel to escape the Chimaera with only minimal resistance from the guards, which Luke quickly dealt with.[15]

When Karrde informed him of the existence of the Katana fleet, Skywalker immediately returned to Coruscant and informed the New Republic. On Coruscant, he was also reunited with Leia, who had just persuaded the Noghri commandos to turn against the Empire, as well as Han and Lando, returned from a mission to seek out the legendary Garm Bel Iblis. However, Borsk Fey'lya slowed down the salvage effort for the fleet with political maneuvering, and Skywalker accompanied Rogue Squadron on an independent mission to reach the fleet before the Imperials; Han and Lando had informed him that Thrawn would soon have the location.[15]

Skywalker and Thrawn during the Thrawn campaign

Skywalker and his allies reached the fleet before either the Imperial or Fey'lya's expedition and boarded the Katana, but no sooner had they arrived and investigated the ship than a frigate commanded by Fey'lya arrived and tried to place Luke and Han under arrest; Leia, also onboard the frigate, was powerless to stop them. Before any serious action could be taken, though, an Imperial Star Destroyer reverted from hyperspace. Soon enough, Skywalker was kept busy fending off Imperial boarders, with Han using an old walker in a corridor to good effect. In the end, Luke was able to herd the last of the boarders to one compartment and Chewbacca vented it into space, killing the troopers. In space, the New Republic forces, now unified under Organa Solo, fought against the Star Destroyer, but were still outnumbered. Even with aid from Karrde's forces, they were hard pressed, but the sudden arrival of General Garm Bel Iblis and his private ships was enough to damage the Judicator and destroy the Peremptory, which had arrived to assist the first Star Destroyer, by ramming it with a Dreadnaught remotely controlled by Solo from the Katana. However, at the end of the battle, the New Republic was faced with two shocking facts. First, most of the Katana fleet had already been taken by the Empire, and second, Luke realized that the troopers he had been fighting were clones. In the aftermath, Luke also used his Force skills to locate Mara Jade, who was floating in space after she had been forced to eject from her fighter.[15]

With the New Republic threatened by Thrawn's supply of clones from freshly reactivated Spaarti cylinders, Luke Skywalker participated in a number of missions to track down the facility that was producing them. One of these missions was to Berchest, where he did indeed sense groups of cloned infantry, but also met Talon Karrde, presumably on Berchest for a similar reason. Skywalker agreed to set up a credit line to help fund Karrde's activities and reimburse the smuggler for any valuable information that he and his people could obtain. Thrawn had found a way to grow clones in less than twenty days and with the recent capture of the Katana fleet and the food-producing world of Ukio had both provisions and hulls with which to equip his forces.[89]

Skywalker continued to follow the routes that the human duplicates traveled and ended up on Poderis, only to find himself shadowed by Imperial Intelligence. Escaping a cordon of ysalamiri-equipped stormtroopers, he managed to reach his disguised freighter only to be intercepted by the Chimaera in orbit. Only by escaping in an X-wing built into the freighter did he and R2 manage to jump free of the Star Destroyer, but the result left their hyperdrive damaged. Luke limped to Honoghr on sudden impulse to visit the Noghri. The aliens received him as the son of Vader and readily agreed to help repair his ship, claiming it was part of their debt to help him. After his ship was repaired, Luke returned to Coruscant, where Leia, Han, and their newborn children had just survived an Imperial kidnapping attempt.[89]

After Leia revealed to him, Han, and Lando that Mara Jade knew of the location of Thrawn's cloning center on Wayland, Luke agreed to break Mara out of New Republic confinement so she could guide them to Wayland. After neutralizing the guard droid (link) with a specially modified restraining bolt, Luke brought a somewhat reluctant Mara discreetly out to the Millennium Falcon, where Han, Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Lando were waiting for them. They slipped out of Coruscant and eventually made their way to the Imperial world of Wayland, landing without encountering any Imperial patrols.[89]

When wild garrals attracted to the sound of the repulsorlifts on their speeder bikes forced them to walk for roughly two weeks through Wayland's dense jungle, Luke found himself spending a large amount of time with Mara. Luke helped Mara hone her Force skills during their journey, feeling that she might need them based on a premonition in the Force. In return, she asked him how the Emperor died, and Luke's revelation of the tale made her realize that Palpatine's will had motivated her desire to kill him. In any event, the predators and grueling terrain forced them to work together anyway, though the natural hazards diminished as their trek progressed.[89]

As they were nearing the Imperial stronghold of Mount Tantiss, Luke and the others discovered that a group of Noghri had been following them, driving off predators and fending off the local aliens. At an impromptu conference between the expedition, the Noghri, and the local Psadans and Myneyrshi, they were able to work out safe passage to Mount Tantiss accompanied by the Noghri.[89]

Upon arrival at the stronghold, the party was met by another group of Mynereshi and Psadans, who offered to launch a diversionary attack on the Imperials at the front gate while the New Republic saboteurs entered from a side vent. Luke agreed and sent two Noghri to aid the outgunned locals in their diversion. As Luke, Han, Lando, Mara, Chewbacca, and the two droids entered the fortress, they were impressed by the sheer size of the facility. Realizing that their munitions would not be enough to critically damage the cloning tanks, Luke and Mara volunteered to search for a self-destruct in the Emperor's throne room.[89]

However, thanks to numerous ysalamiri scattered around the fortress, they were unaware that Joruus C'baoth had been imprisoned in the Emperor's chambers. Upon arriving in the throne room, C'baoth confronted Luke and Mara. Activating a detonator prepared by mind-controlled Imperial troops, C'baoth destroyed all the ysalamiri in a single blow, restoring the Force to him. Rebuffing Skywalker's offers of help to recover from his mental illness, C'baoth unleashed a barrage of Force lightning at both Skywalker and Jade.[89]

At that point, C'baoth revealed Skywalker's opponent—Luuke Skywalker, a clone Skywalker grown from the hand severed on Bespin by Darth Vader and armed with Luke's old lightsaber. With the mental pressure of being so close to his duplicate, Luke was unable to fight the clone effectively, and C'baoth prevented him from disarming the clone or destroying its weapon. Even the reinforcements of Han, accompanied by the newly arrived Leia Organa Solo, Talon Karrde, and his two vornskrs were insufficient to distract C'baoth enough to let Luke defeat his opponent. Only when Mara seized Leia's lightsaber was C'baoth distracted enough from controlling the clone. As the clone swung a blow to finish Luke off, Luke ducked, causing a viewscreen that Luuke's lightsaber hit to explode into the clone's face. Mara took advantage of the distraction and quickly slew the temporarily blinded clone, fulfilling the Emperor's last command to her—to kill Luke Skywalker.[89]

However, C'baoth was enraged by the death of his clone and began throwing chunks of the ceiling at Luke, Mara, and their companions using the Force. In spite of Luke's offer to remain behind while letting the others go, C'baoth proclaimed himself to be greater than any of them. Luke tried to shove the rocks away with the Force, but he was already tired and C'baoth's fury empowered him. Furthermore, the rocks completely blocked off the exit, trapping them with C'baoth. However, Luke was able to use his lightsaber to free Karrde's two vornskrs from their leashes and they lunged at C'baoth. As C'baoth turned to deal with the animals, Luke and Leia helped guide Mara through a hail of rocks to reach C'baoth and she cut the deranged Jedi down. The resulting explosion of dark side energy following C'baoth's death blew through the mountain, allowing them to escape on the Wild Karrde just before the arrhythmic resonance scheme that Lando and Chewbacca had rigged destroyed the entire fortress.[89]

Escaping in the Wild Karrde and Millennium Falcon, the entire party returned to Coruscant. At the Imperial Palace, Luke found an excuse to spend time with Mara. He suggested that she act as an intermediary between the New Republic and the new Smugglers' Alliance that Karrde was forming, and also gave her his father's old lightsaber, saying that it was an important part of her path to Jedi Knighthood and that he wanted her to have it. They eventually parted on less than hostile terms.[89]

Return of the Emperor

Stranded on Coruscant in 10 ABY, Skywalker began to discover strange clues in newly opened secret chambers throughout the former Imperial Palace, clues to the Emperor's power. Before he could piece together their significance, a raging Force storm appeared in the sky. The swirling vortex of dimension-altering energy consumed Skywalker, and deposited him in a cell aboard an Imperial Dungeon Ship bound for the Deep Core world of Byss. There, in an ornate citadel, Skywalker faced an enemy he had not ever expected to see again: Emperor Palpatine.[11]

Palpatine's spirit had been staving away death by using arcane Sith knowledge and Spaarti cloning technology. Palpatine would grow clone duplicates of his own body to serve as tools for his evil life force should his body die. With this technique, Palpatine had escaped death aboard the second Death Star and now called for Skywalker to kneel before him and become his servant. Skywalker, realizing that the Emperor was all-powerful, knelt before him and pledged to learn the ways of the Sith from him.[11]

Luke, like only a few other indivduals, believed that he could defeat the dark side from the inside. However, he had underestimated the power of the dark side, ignoring one of Yoda's most important lessons. Skywalker worked for the light side in the shadows just like Quinlan Vos had during the Clone Wars. And just like that Jedi Master, he found he was unable to break away from its snare once he was immersed too deeply in it. During this dark apprenticeship, Luke acquired two Imperial Sentinels, clones mutated into his dark side servants. Though he succeeded in covertly sabotaging several of Palpatine's plans including a World Devastator attack on Mon Calamari, he was too deep in darkness to think clearly.

When Leia arrived on Byss to rescue him, she succeeded only in getting herself captured, along with Han. However, Leia's light side presence allowed Luke to partially shake off the dark side, giving him the initiative to rebel against Palpatine fully. He aided the escape of her and Han and supplied them with the interface codes that controlled the World Devastators on Mon Calamari. He then turned to Palpatine.

In a failed assassination attempt, he marched into the cloning lab and smashed all the cloning tanks just after Palpatine's current body expired. However, before he could finish the job, Palpatine managed to transfer into one of the last living clones. When Luke attempted to subdue Palpatine, citing that his time as the Sith Lord's apprentice had taught him the Emperor's weaknesses, Palpatine scoffed at him and seized one of the lightsabers he kept in the lab. The two engaged in a quick lightsaber duel, but Luke fell before Palpatine's brutal blade work.[11] Palpatine then traveled to Pinnacle Base in his flagship; Eclipse; bringing a broken Luke along. However, with the help of his sister Leia, Luke was able to fight back the darkness before it consumed him and turned against his master. Skywalker finally defeated Palpatine in single combat. This confrontation was foretold by a Jedi Mastera thousand years earlier.

Unfortunately, Palpatine summoned a massive Force storm and began to systematically destroy the New Republic fleet around Pinnacle Base. Luke, together with Leia, created a massive wave of light side energy that cut off Palpatine's control of the storm, turning it against him. While they fled, Eclipse was destroyed, and Palpatine's current incarnation along with it.[11]

But the shadow of the dark side continued to haunt Skywalker. Having seen the sheer number of Force-sensitive beings under Palpatine's control, Skywalker was determined to begin rebuilding the Jedi ranks. While Palpatine, again in a new body, and his minions rallied at Byss around the new Galaxy Gun, Skywalker raced to Ossus to investigate rumors of an ancient Jedi holocron. As he explored the mysteries of the history-rich world, Skywalker came under attack by a group of Dark Side Elite, loyalists of Palpatine, who tried to capture the holocron for their reborn master.[90]

Palpatine in his new clone body then took his new flagship, the Eclipse II, to Onderon to claim the body of young Anakin Solo. Luke and his Jedi companions boarded the ship, but Palpatine was gone. R2-D2 then sent the ship on a collision course with the Galaxy Gun. Meanwhile, Palpatine found Leia and Han on the surface, but Luke and his companions arrived there to aid them. A vicious duel broke out which left Rayf Ysanna dead and Empatojayos Brand mortally wounded. However, Han Solo shot Palpatine in the back. As the dark spirit flew toward Anakin, Brand clasped it and took the menace of Palpatine with him unto death.[91]

The trials of a Jedi Master (11–25 ABY)

Establishing a New Jedi Order

In 11 ABY, Luke Skywalker, now a Jedi Master, felt that, due to the growing dangers in the galaxy, the New Republic needed a New Jedi Order to serve and protect it. He proposed to the government that a new Jedi Academy needed to be started, with himself as its head instructor. When the New Republic agreed, Skywalker began searching in earnest for Jedi candidates to train in the Great Massassi Temple on Yavin 4 where he had established his Jedi Praxeum. One of the first places Luke went to was Eol Sha, a harsh volcanic world inhabited only by a small colony. Their leader, Gantoris, was at first convinced that Luke was the "dark man" of his dreams, a man that would only lead him to destruction with promises of power. Because of this, he made Luke pass several tests, such as collecting fungi in a steam vent and walking across lava while battling a giant lava snake. Passing the tests, Luke convinced Gantoris to join the Jedi Order and also arranged for the Eol Sha colonists to be transported to Dantooine, which had a much more hospitable climate. After further searching, Luke found his next apprentice, Streen, on an abandoned gas prospecting platform on Bespin. Streen agreed to join the Jedi on the condition that Luke would teach him to quiet the "voices" and emotions in his head that he "heard" from those around him.[16]

Another student at the new academy was Kam Solusar, a former Dark Jedi who Luke had turned back to the light during the reborn Emperor's return. Another one of Luke's students, Corran Horn, sought him out to learn to use the Force to rescue his wife, at Luke's suggestion, under the alias of Keiran Halcyon. Some of Luke's other students included the clone Dorsk 81, the Dathomiri Kirana Ti, and the historianTionne. In the early years, Luke's Jedi Knights also included Brakiss, Madurrin, Kyle Katarn, Cilghal and Kyp Durron. Mara Jade also studied under Luke in a less official capacity. In future years, Luke's Academy was to train notable Jedi such as Jaden Korr, Rosh Penin,[92]Tenel Ka,[93]Zekk,[94] and his niece and nephews Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin Solo.[95] Luke's students in turn eventually became Masters, and a new generation of Jedi Knights arose. One Jedi who never attended the academy was Tyria Sarkin, who, over a period of years, developed her Force skills and earned Jedi Knighthood from Luke.[96] Through this academy, Skywalker returned the Jedi Order to the galaxy, and began to reverse the damage done by Palpatine and Vader in previous decades.[16]

However, galactic circumstances kept Luke from being completely devoted to the Jedi Academy. Early on, Luke was called away from the academy to find Han and Chewbacca, who had disappeared after embarking on a mission to Kessel. Luke along with his old friend Lando traveled to Kessel disguised as businessmen, and confronted Moruth Doole, administrator of the spice mines. The two retrieved the Falcon from Doole's clutches, for the Rybet had stolen it and sent Han and Chewbacca to the spice mines. Luke and Lando fled from Doole's large ragtag fleet, and headed for the Maw Cluster, when suddenly the Sun Crusher, with Han, Chewbacca, Qwi Xux, and Kyp Durron aboard, shot out of the cluster, closely pursued by Admiral Daala's fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers. The Millennium Falcon and the Sun Crusher escaped as the Imperial fleet engaged Doole's forces in an impromptu brawl.[16]

Sometime during the New Republic's rule, Luke helped X2, a Force-sensitiveclone trooper whom he had trained as a Jedi several years earlier, find his brother X1, now a Sith Lord. During the Battle of Vjun, Luke gave his student instructions and advice. While guiding X2 through Bast Castle, Skywalker was disturbed by bad memories due to the fact that the fortress had previously belonged to Darth Vader. Luke later tracked down X1 to his base on Mustafar but was captured by the Sith, who wanted to create an army of Dark Jedi clones using Skywalker as a template. In the ensuing battle, X2 rescued Luke and killed X1. For his gratitude, Skywalker made X2 a Jedi Master.[22]

Exar Kun's attack

Shortly after establishing his Praxeum, Luke's new students were menaced by an age-old threat. Gantoris, frustrated with how slowly Luke was taking his training, was tempted by the lingering spirit of Exar Kun, luring him with the dark side. Under the tutelage of the Dark Lord, Gantoris constructed his own dual-phase lightsaber. Soon after, he fought with Luke and lost, but his behavior and the sudden appearance of his lightsaber were brushed off by Luke as nothing to worry about. However, Exar Kun later horrifically killed Gantoris by burning him from inside and out with the power of the dark side.[16] Luke consulted with 'Kieran Halcyon' on Gantoris' death, but before he could complete the investigation, Luke was distracted with new students, one of which was Mara Jade, who still maintained a tenuous-at-best friendship with Luke. However, she left not long after arriving, feeling she knew most of what Luke was teaching.[18]

Luke Skywalker as founder of the New Jedi Order

Luke spent much attention on another new arrival, Kyp Durron, who had been rescued from Kessel and Imperial imprisonment by Han Solo and Chewbacca.[16] Kyp was prodigiously talented in the Force and made great progress, thus gaining the attention of Exar Kun, who tempted him with even more power, preying on his anger and frustration. Kyp gave in to the seduction of the dark side, and exhibited pro-Kun leanings on more than one occasion. Finally on one morning, Kyp, full of the dark side and imbued by the power of Exar Kun, exploded. He attacked Luke, and with the combined ancient power of the powerful Sith and his own potential, Kyp managed to sunder Luke's spirit from his body, leaving Luke in a lifeless, comatose state.[97] Kyp took off in the newly retrieved superweapon, the Sun Crusher, to take revenge on the Empire. However, Exar Kun wanted nothing less than Luke's total destruction. Many efforts—from a full New Republic medical team to the innocent kiss of his niece—were made to revive Luke, but all were unsuccessful. Exar Kun, desperate for Luke's blood and knowing that the destruction of the Jedi Master's body would render him forever hung between life and death, temporarily possessed Streen, deceiving him into creating a Force Whirlwind meant to destroy Luke. He was stopped, but the danger persisted. Luke's nephew and niece arrived, and Luke's spirit was able to communicate with them, although not with any of the others. Not long after, Kun's spirit sent hideous monsters to attack Luke's body. Luke, guiding the hand of young Jacen Solo, called on Jacen to use Luke's lightsaber. Other apprentices observed the young Solo dueling like a master swordsman. Because of this, the spectral Kun was rousted from hiding, and led into a trap; destroyed by the combined efforts of the Jedi apprentices, Luke's spirit, and the long-dead spirit of Kun's slain master, Vodo-Siosk Baas.[21]

When Kyp Durron, now freed forever from the Dark Lord's spirit, was brought to Luke for judgment for his destruction of Carida and his other atrocities, Luke allowed Kyp to live, saying his punishment was a life of service. This was frowned on across the galaxy and was one of the reasons behind Corran Horn's departure from the academy. However, as part of his penance, Kyp was required to send the Sun Crusher into one of the Maw's black holes. However, when Luke and Kyp, who were aboard the tiny vessel, arrived at the Maw Installation, they found it under attack by both Admiral Daala and the prototype Death Star. Luke landed the ship and went to see what he could do to aid Wedge, the commander of the expedition to protect the Installation, until they could retrieve some sensitive data from it. Kyp, however, returned to the Sun Crusher and attacked the prototype Death Star. He lured the station close to a black hole, where both the Sun Crusher and the Death Star prototype were pulled into the event horizon. Fortunately, Kyp managed to escape by compressing himself into a messenger pod and launching himself out to safety. Kyp then went on to become a talented Jedi.[21]

Later on that year, Luke and Gand Rogue Squadron pilot Ooryl Qrygg aided Corran Horn in his effort to rescue his wife from Leonia Tavira and the Jensaarai. Luke had sensed that his former pupil would need help on Courkrus and traveled there with the Findsman Qrygg in time to aid Horn against five Jensaarai. Luke easily handled his opponents by depriving them of the Force via several ysalamiri; defeating all of them without killing them. Luke then acted as Corran's Jedi superior, deceiving the Jensaarai into revealing information in order for Luke to "return the Force back to them." Luke and Corran then traveled to Susevfi, the location of Mirax as revealed by the Jensaarai, and used the ysalamiri to mask their presence from the Ring Defenders protecting the stronghold. Once on Susefvi, Luke, Corran, Ooryl, and Elegos A'Kla—a Caamasi—stormed the prison and freed Mirax. They then confronted the Saarai-kaar, or leader, of the Jensaarai and her students. Corran defeated the Saarai-kaar in a duel while Luke easily defeated the rest of her companions along with both the Imperial guards and the Jensaarai that he encountered. Also, Corran and Mirax Terrik were again reunited when Horn rescued her from a stasis chamber and Skywalker was able to reconcile the Jensaarai to the Jedi Order.[18]

The Eye of Palpatine

In 12 ABY, Skywalker, along with two of his students, Nichos Marr and Cray Mingla, were invited to the Time of Meeting on the world of Ithor. However, though Marr had once been a student of Skywalker's, he slowly perished due to a chronic disease, his consciousness only preserved in a human replica droid developed by Mingla. Also attending were his sister Leia and Han Solo. However, at a reception, Leia was rushed by a crazed man screaming "Solo!" as he charged. Skywalker handily threw the man to the ground, and Han helped pinion him. The man was an old smuggler acquaintance of Han's, Drub McKumb, but Solo was confused as to the man's crazed state. In his ravings, McKumb mentioned a place called Plett's Well, which Marr remembered from his childhood. Skywalker attempted to probe Marr's consciousness in search of any memories to unravel the mysteries of McKumb's speech, but when he did so, he encountered a disturbance in the Force. Skywalker then asked Marr to generate a random number, thinking that whatever random value Marr's consciousness generated might have significance. As it turned out, the number was a set of coordinates in the Moonflower Nebula, and Skywalker resolved to take Mingla, Marr, and C-3PO out to investigate in the Huntbird, an exploration ship borrowed from the Ithorians, on the chance that something unusual was there.[31]

Luke Skywalker and his student Corran Horn

Arriving at the coordinates, they found little there besides an asteroid field. While they exploring the asteroids, they came under fire and were forced to nurse their suddenly damaged ship to the planet Pzob a few parsecs away, which had been colonized by Gamorreans. Just before they pulled out of range, the Huntbird sustained one last hit, rupturing a coolant line, which leaked all over Skywalker and he was exposed to the coolant before striking his head with sufficient force to render him unconscious. When he awoke, the ship was nearing Pzob and Skywalker was able to land the ship near the sole power signal they detected from orbit. Upon landing, the group was met by Triv Pothman, a former Imperial stormtrooper who had been marooned on the world for some time. Pothman helped tend Skywalker's injuries, and after learning that the man had been forgotten by the Empire for decades, they agreed to transport him offworld after repairing the Huntbird.[31]

Before they could do so, though, the two feuding Gamorrean tribes that inhabited that area of Pzob arrived, causing the Humans and droids to seek shelter inside the Huntbird. Then, an automated Imperial lander arrived, sending out droids and stunning all of them. When Skywalker awoke, he at first believed he was a stormtrooper and that he hated the Jedi, but quickly shook off the indoctrination. He realized he was on a spaceship and C-3PO, who along with Marr was there in the room with him, told him that they had been jumping from system to system while an automated group of landers retrieved and re-indoctrinated a number of sentient beings, thinking they were the ship's crew. The protocol droid also informed him that the ship they were on was the Eye of Palpatine, an old Imperial battlemoon headed to destroy Plett's Well. He quickly located Pothman and Mingla as well, but was startled to see a number of other alien species, including the Gamorreans from Pzob, indoctrinated into thinking they belonged as crewmembers and troopers on the battlemoon. However, before he could use the Force to free Mingla from her indoctrination, the rival Gamorrean tribe attacked and both Marr and Mingla were captured in the fray, while Skywalker sustained a deep leg injury. He was crudely tended to by a Gamorrean sow named Bullyak, but was able to reunite with C-3PO.[31]

However, while searching for decent medical equipment, he found the ship was been slowly ransacked and torn apart by Jawas which the ship had brought onboard. Furthermore, he was stymied in his attempts to learn more about the ship or its mission—all such information was blocked by a computer identity dubbed "the Will." He did manage to explore somewhat, despite his bad leg, and located a two-seat Y-wing fighter in one of the launch bays and also learned that certain areas of the ship were defended by a lethal enclision grid that killed all intruders. Furthermore, he saved a Jawa from being slain by one of the Gamorrean tribes, convincing the Gamorreans that he was an Imperial Intelligence officer named Calrissian. Later, that same Jawa gave Skywalker another lightsaber that the Jawa had found. Inquiring as to how the Jawa had obtained the Jedi weapon, Skywalker was led to a shaft that led to the heart of the ship, where someone had, years earlier, ascended into the area and died due to the enclision grid while attempting to stop the ship. By examining the lightsaber, he deduced that the weapon had been a woman's.[31]

Unfortunately for Skywalker, shortly thereafter, the entire ship received an information broadcast from Mingla's captors, detailing her imminent trial and execution for sabotage. He and C-3PO immediately began searching out Mingla's location, but encountered a group of Sand People, who pursued him. However, a hatch lock had malfunctioned and opened, allowing him to escape through it and secure his escape by sealing it behind him and C-3PO. As time ran out for Mingla, Skywalker enlisted the aid of a group of indoctrinated Affytechans and they located a pair of light transports in one of the hangars, which he planned on using for the purposes of escaping. However, once again, he was found by the Sand People and, just as before, only escaped thanks to a series of doors opening and closing just in time for him to slip through. While hiding in a room, he was looking at himself in the reflection of a monitor screen when he saw the pale image of a young woman in the screen behind them, though there was nobody else there.[31]

Skywalker asked the presence he felt for its name, and on the monitor screen appeared the word "Callista." Communicating through the room's computer, he was able to learn that she was the spirit of a Jedi who had been on a mission to destroy the Eye of Palpatine thirty years earlier. Though she had been killed by the enclision grid, her spirit had survived, fighting against the Will and aiding him in his encounters with the Sand People. Skywalker befriended her and telling her that the Empire she had fought against was in disarray. To help distract the Gamorreans so he could free Mingla, Callista suggested that he employ something analogous to a foo-twitter, a device used on her homeworld of Chad, to emit sounds that would gain the attention of the Gamorreans. Skywalker implemented her idea, taking her advice on how to make the enclision grid misfire with the Force while the reprogrammed droid and voder he appropriated made its way through the guarded passage. While he worked, he told Callista about his childhood on Tatooine and his times in the Rebellion, and she in turn shared her own previous life growing up on Chad and then being taken in by the Jedi Order.[31]

When he finished, he sent his diversion up the shaft, misfiring the grid with the Force, but the Will was aware of his actions and sent an assortment of ship's droids after him. Skywalker managed to fend them off, but was both exhausted and aggravated his injury with his efforts and passed out. While passed out, Skywalker had a vision where he saw Callista's final moments aboard the Eye of Palpatine, and then in his dream, felt and saw her as if she were there in person, though their spirits visited many places and times in his unconsciousness. When he awoke, C-3PO informed him that it was nearly time for Mingla's execution and dressed Skywalker's injuries anew.[31]

Luke Skywalker fights Tusken Raiders on the Eye of Palpatine.

Furthermore, he was able to distract the Gamorreans by persuading them that the Will really wanted them to attack the other tribe. In the melee, he was able to get to Mingla and free her while breaking through the indoctrination of Triv Pothman and removing the restraining bolt that had prevented Marr from freeing Mingla himself. Once they were away from the execution chamber, Skywalker had arranged for the indoctrinated aliens to be moved to the transports, even the Sand People and Jawas. Skywalker then planned to try and stall the Will while disabling the gunnery systems, to allow the others to escape—in particular, he wanted Mingla to return with a human replica droid body to store Callista's spirit, as he was in love with the Jedi spirit. Callista, however, insisted that the Eye of Palpatine had to be destroyed once and for all, over Skywalker's objections, and refused any offer of a droid body. When Skywalker couldn't do what was needed to destroy the ship because of his attachment to Callista, Mingla stunned him. Instead, Callista and Ming decided to work together to misfire the grid while Marr went up the shaft to destroy the battlemoon's reactors. They did so, and Skywalker awoke in a shuttle departing the Eye of Palpatine, which had reverted from hyperspace over Belsavis. After the Eye of Palpatine was destroyed, the two shuttles were met by Mara Jade, as well as Han and Leia, who had been on Belsavis attending to the people who had re-activated the Eye of Palpatine in the first place. They tended to Skywalker's injuries and picked up the sole escape pod from the battlemoon, which Skywalker presumed to contain Mingla. However, upon docking with the pod, Skywalker realized that Mingla had given up her body to Callista—with Marr dead, Mingla no longer had any desire to live, and so had departed and allowed Callista to once again exist on a physical plane through her body. However, though Callista was reunited with Skywalker and was able to explain a number of Jedi relics that Han and Leia had found at Plett's Well—an old Jedi sanctuary—she was unable to touch the Force. However, Skywalker told her that he loved her, not just the Force, and she returned with him to Yavin as their relationship deepened.[31]

Not long after the destruction of the Eye of Palpatine, Skywalker accompanied Han Solo on a journey to Tatooine to investigate the ruins of Jabba's palace. Disguised as Sand People, they made their way incognito towards the structure and Skywalker used the Force to keep the Sand People from noticing their true identity. Inside the palace, they were met by a being named Maizor, a former rival of Jabba's who had had his brain surgically removed and placed in a droid chassis on Jabba's orders. Asking Maizor for information, Skywalker and Solo learned that numerous Hutts had been to the palace in search of Jabba's former troves of Imperial information and planned on constructing a superweapon. They decided to return to warn the New Republic of the impending threat, but first, they made a side trip to Kenobi's old desert hut, where Skywalker searched for any clues that might help Callista recover her connection to the Force. However, there was no information there, nor was Kenobi's spirit present, so Skywalker resolved to find help for Callista on his own.[98]

Voyages with Callista

"I love you, Callista…""And I love you. Thank you for bringing me back this far."

Returning to Yavin Four, Skywalker made time to graduate three of his students: Kyp Durron, Cilghal, and Dorsk 81, proclaiming them to be Jedi Knights, and sending them off to do whatever good they felt they could do. Not long after he did so, he was visited by Mara Jade, who also informed him that that the Smuggler's Alliance believed the Hutts were up to something. Skywalker, along with Callista, then visited Coruscant to pass on the information he had gleaned to Leia, and then informed his sister that he was going off with Callista in search of finding ways to regain her connection to the Force.[98]

Their first destination was the Mulako CorporationPrimordial Water Quarry, a water mining facility built into the icy nucleus of a comet. Recalling her own watery homeworld, Callista loved it there and enjoyed the time they spent together, but felt that it had little connection to the Force. Instead, they left and went to Dagobah, where Luke had trained, as Callista felt that somewhere with a greater connection to the Force would help her concentrate. Upon landing, they explored the surrounding area, but despite all her attempts, Callista was still unable to touch the Force, which frustrated her to the point where she said that if she could not regain her powers, she did not want to be with Skywalker, which concerned him. That evening, they were attacked by predatory nightbats and Callista unleashed her anger and frustration on them. For that instant, Skywalker felt her in the Force and the two realized that she could still touch the dark side. Seeking the advice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they then left and went to Hoth, where Obi-Wan's spirit had once appeared to Luke.[98]

While on Hoth, they encountered five hunters cornered in the ruins of Echo Base by a massive herd of wampas. They attempted to return to Skywalker's ship, but found that it had been ravaged by the wampas. Returning to Echo Base, Skywalker, Callista, and the hunters grimly prepared for an impending attack, which came during the night. They helped the hunters fight, but there were too many wampas and all of the others perished. The two Jedi barely managed to escape back to their ship and after some frantic rewiring and rigged repairs, lifted off into space, sending out a desperate call for help. With life support failing, Callista used the sole envirosuit and Luke survived in a hibernation trance, slowly losing his life, when they were finally rescued by the Millennium Falcon and were taken to Yavin Four by Han and Leia.[98]

However, right before they arrived, the resurgent Admiral Daala, leading a rejuvenated Imperial war machine, launched a massive ground and air assault on the Jedi Academy, which the Jedi trainees had barely managed to stave off, though they had repulsed the first wave of Star Destroyers. The Falcon managed to slip past Daala's flagship, the Knight Hammer, and landed to unload Luke and Callista, who immediately went to aid the Jedi trainees in battle.[98]

Using guerrilla tactics, the Jedi split up to engage approaching Imperial ground forces. While Luke and his students used the Force to rout the Imperials on the planet's surface, Callista attacked the Knight Hammer from the inside by detonating a large number of fully armed and fueled TIE bombers, thus dooming the ship. It was during this battle, and the previous attack on Hoth, that made Callista realize that she had to leave Luke. Feeling pressured by Luke to make progress she could not achieve, she decided to disappear after destroying the Knight Hammer. For some time, it was believed that Callista died during this attack, though she left a message for Luke informing him of her decision. However, this only stiffened Luke's resolve to one day be reunited with her.[98]

Nam Chorios and the Death Seed

Time passed, and Skywalker continued to oversee his responsibilities at the Jedi Academy. When one of his students, a former SpecForce member named Dal Konur grew impatient with what he perceived as Jedi inactivity against the Empire,[99] he proposed a plan to Luke Skywalker to infiltrate Imperial space and assassinate members of the Moff Council, which Skywalker refused to approve.[100] In response, Konur stowed away aboard a supply shuttle and flew off for parts unknown to wage his own war against the Empire. Fearful that Konur might turn to the dark side, Skywalker dispatched four accomplished individuals to retrieve Konur, and unhurt.[99]

Luke Skywalker on Nam Chorios

Upon the eve of a conference between Leia Organa Solo and Seti Ashgad, a leader of the Meridian sector, Leia received a note from Callista warning her to avoid the meeting and especially Ashgad. In response, Luke accompanied Leia to the Meridian sector, having learned that Callista was possibly on the world of Nam Chorios, took a B-wing starfighter from Leia's ship, the Borealis, to journey down to Nam Chorios in search of his lost love. As Nam Chorios was an interdicted world whose automated gun stations would take down any ship larger than a starfighter, Skywalker knew that the approach would be dangerous as his was close to the maximum size limit for a ship to slip past the gun stations, but the heavily armed starfighter was chosen due to nearby pirate nests. Before he left Leia's ship, Skywalker promised his sister he would pass any information on the reason for Callista's warning as soon as he found it.[101]

Arriving in atmosphere, Luke felt a sensation of hundreds of voices crying out through the Force in a mass scream, but was distracted before he could follow the perception. The gun stations of Nam Chorios opened fire on him and his craft was shot down despite all his efforts to avoid the laser cannon bolts. He crash-landed and a group of Theran fanatics, a religious local cult who were generally anti-technology and decidedly isolationist, attacked the shipwreck, but Luke was able to escape them by stirring up a cloud of dust with the Force and slipping away in the ensuing confusion. He made his way to a nearby settlement, where a farmer named Arvid Scraf greeted him with hospitality and offered to help him salvage the B-wing, though Skywalker identified himself as "Owen Lars."[101]

Skywalker soon discovered the divide in the populace of Nam Chorios: the younger inhabitants, the Newcomers, who largely dwelt in the cities and towns, sought to open the world to wider interplanetary trade. However, another segment of the populace, known as the Oldtimers, insisted that the status quo be maintained, for unknown reasons. Nam Chorios turned out to be quite different from his expectations. The planet was infested with small biting insects known as drochs and Skywalker soon found that using the Force caused ground lightning storms. Instead, he made his way to the largest city, Hweg Shul and, via an acquaintance of Scraf's, learned that Callista had arrived on Nam Chorios eight months prior. While in Hweg Shul, though, he sensed the presence of another Jedi and went to investigate. In a desiccated alleyway, Skywalker found the dwelling of the ancient Taselda, a human female who had once been a Jedi Knight. Taselda told him that she had been teaching Callista in the ways of the Force, but was challenged by a Force-sensitive Hutt named Beldorion who exerted considerable influence in Hweg Shul and had driven Taselda to hiding. Skywalker initially offered to retrieve Taselda's lightsaber from Beldorion, whom she said had taken it, but later recognized that she had been using him, to the point of slipping a mood-enhancing drug in his drink.
Returning to confront her, he was ambushed by a group of street youths who were under Taselda's influence. Resolving not to use the Force for fear of inciting another ground lightning storm, Luke was rescued by a pair of local constables, Snaplaunce and Grupp, who dispersed the youths and responded to his inquiries about Callista by telling him that she had gone into the wilderness some time ago.[101]

Skywalker then found himself a local job working as a mechanic, where he discovered a lucrative trade in local crystals to Loronar Corporation, which were somehow connected to the Force. Still focused on locating Callista, he attended a meeting held at Seti Ashgad's estate in hopes of finding someone who had seen Callista, unaware that Ashgad had kidnapped Leia and unleashed the Death Seed plague. At the meeting, Ashgad used his political and oratorical skills to incite the Newcomers gathered there against the New Republic, employing a faked hologram of the New Republic Chief of State to his advantage. Wondering what Ashgad was planning, Skywalker accompanied a group of well-armed Newcomers sent to retrieve a cargo of weapons and supplies from a capsule dropped from orbit. Upon examining some of the capsule's contents, Luke was alarmed to see that some of the weapons had belonged to the New Republic and Leia personally. He then decided to sneak into Ashgad's residence again, looking for more information on Leia's whereabouts.[101]

Upon entering, he was set upon by a horde of drochs, some of them having grown and mutated to be of considerable size. When his lightsaber was of little use against the multitude of insects, Luke reluctantly used telekinesis to scatter and smash his attackers, aware that his actions had repercussions elsewhere due to Nam Chorios's unique biosphere. Advancing, he found Ashgad's secretary, a creature named Dzym threatening and attacking another of Ashgad's associates, Liegeus Vorn, a holo faker. Upon hearing Vorn mention Leia's name in his anguish, Luke sprang forward to engage Dyzm, hurling him into the wall with the Force, but Dzym fled. Luke picked up Vorn and made his way to a speeder garage, where he took one of the speeders and escaped from Ashgad's residence. Vorn informed him that the drochs that had been biting him were controlled by Dyzm and could transmit Luke's life energy back to him. In order to combat the tele-vampiric effects of the insects buried in his flesh, Luke rigged an electric pulse that, though uncomfortable, would purge the drochs from him and Vorn. Meanwhile, Vorn not only confirmed that Leia had been held captive by Ashgad only to escape, but also that Dyzm, a vastly mutated and sentient droch was the bearer of the Death Seed plague. Furthermore, Vorn apprised him that Callista had been enslaved by Taselda and then later given to Dzym, but she, too, had escaped and fled into the wilderness. Luke felt more strongly than ever that he needed to find Callista, refusing to accept the possibility that he could lose her.[101]

Master Skywalker in the Jedi Academy

Luke journeyed to the Bleak Point gun station again, which had fallen under attack by Beldorion and some of Ashgad's Newcomer associates in hopes of clearing a launch corridor for Ashgad to depart on his nearly finished freighter, along with Dyzm. Skywalker was all too aware of what would happen if Ashgad escaped Nam Chorios with Dzym—the world's sunlight and the guardian tsil crystals inhibited the growth and spread of the plague, but other planets would be highly vulnerable to the Death Seed. Skywalker flew his speeder into the midst of the Newcomers, telling them that Ashgad had duped all of them. He was having difficulty rationalizing with the group of Newcomers when Leia emerged from the Therans defending the gun station and told the truth about Ashgad's lies, complete with evidence she had taken from his residence upon her escape, and most of them immediately changed sides, ending the attack on the station. However, one of the Newcomers threw a belt of grenades into the gun station and disabled the cannon, clearing the way for Ashgad's escape. Luke immediately took Leia with him in his appropriated speeder to Ashgad's residence in hopes of preventing Ashgad from lifting off. Little did he realize that Callista had also been present at the Bleak Point station.[101]

Though brother and sister burst into the mansion, they were too late: Ashgad's ship, the Reliant had already lifted off. Skywalker immediately effected some hurried repairs on a damaged Z-95 Headhunter in the hangar bay in hopes of pursuing the Reliant, while Leia met Beldorion in a lightsaber duel. Leia slew the Hutt and Luke recognized her victory as part of her accepting her Jedi heritage. He then took off and chased down the Reliant. However, his ship was damaged by a group of CCIR Needles, small drone fighters centrally controlled by the same tsil crystals that were abundant on Nam Chorios. As his craft went down, Luke suddenly realized that the tsils were not only alive, but also Force-sensitive and had been responsible for the unusual Force perceptions he had received while on Nam Chorios. Communicating with them via the Force, Skywalker persuaded them to destroy the Reliant in exchange for the return of all the tsils that had been taken offworld by the Loronar Corporation. They also additionally agreed to help stop the Death Seed plague that had already escaped Nam Chorios and had been ravaging the sector. With the defeat of Ashgad's renegade Imperial allied fleet in space due to a combined New Republic and independent Imperial force led by the resurgent Admiral Daala, the loss of the CCIR needles, and the death of Dyzm, the plot to cripple the New Republic with the Death Seed plague was over. Luke, Han, and Leia were reunited on the surface of Nam Chorios, and Luke had one last glimpse of Callista, who had been coordinating the Theran effort from the surface, albeit from a distance. That one look was enough to tell Luke that their ways had been parted, and he ended his quest to regain Callista.[101]

The Empire Reborn movement

Leia: "My children are going to have normal family stories to tell their children, little funny stories about everyday nothings, stories where no one dies too young or has to carry a burden of shame. I'm going to see to that, with your help or without it—"

Han Solo: "Leia—"

Leia: "Nothing matters more to me, do you understand? [to Luke] Nothing. So you do what you think you have to, brother–go wherever you have to with whoever you want to, chasing whatever shadow of a hint of a promise of a clue you like. I don't care about any of it. Don't ask for my help again. And don't bring the past into this house. It's all just pain and death. You wallow in it if you want to. I've had enough of it for ten lifetimes."

Back at the Praxeum, Luke was disturbed by the murder of Havet Storm at the hands of one of his more wayward pupils, Desann. Desann, like Brakiss before him, left the Praxeum in disgust, and turned to the dark side. Shortly after, former student Kyle Katarn returned to the Praxeum, and informed Luke that he had encountered Desann. Katarn was distraught over the apparent death of his partner, Jan Ors, and in his plight, had returned to the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan to re-gain his powers. Only he, Jan and Luke knew the location of the Valley, but Luke suspected that Desann may have followed Katarn to the Valley. Realizing what the Valley's power could do in the wrong hands, he sought the help of Rogue Squadron, and traveled to Ruusan, driving away Desann and his forces. But it was too late—Desann had joined the new Empire Reborn movement, a splinter faction headed by the Dark Jedi Hethrir, in charge of training a cadre of the Empire Youth. Using the Valley of the Jedi to make them Force-sensitive, he had created a small army of Force users. Luke sought to further investigate this new threat, finally infiltrating the Cairn Installation. Because of this, Luke teamed up with Katarn to wipe out a small batch of Reborn. While Kyle sneaked onto the Reborn flagship ship, the Doomgiver, Luke was ambushed by Desann, and fought him in a fierce but brief lightsaber duel. Faced with the prospect of losing the duel, Desann escaped. Luke then returned to Yavin 4, which was, incidentally, the Doomgiver's target. The Reborn warriors attacked the Praxeum en masse, but were defeated by Luke's students, with Katarn killing Desann deep in the bowels of the Temple.[17]

An empire lost

In 13 ABY, Luke Skywalker was still teaching his Jedi students on Yavin IV when he was warned by Vima-Da-Boda about a man called Devian.[102] Leader of the Restored Empire, Devian had planned to strike the New Republic and assassinate it's government. Skywalker arrived on Coruscant just in time to prevent an attack on the Imperial Palace. The Jedi discovered a piece of zinethium in a shuttle unintentionally brought on the planet by former Emperor's Royal GuardKir Kanos. Luke entered the ship, flying into orbit, and managed to evacuate in an escape pod as the zinethium exploded.[103]

The Disciples of Ragnos

Despite the best efforts of the New Republic and the Jedi, the Emperor Reborn was not dead, although weakened. Later in that same year, the Disciples of Ragnos, a cult splinter group from the remnants of the Empire Reborn, surfaced and attacked the Praxeum shuttle Yavin Runner II while it was carrying new students to Yavin 4. It turned out that this was a diversionary assault, enabling one of their agents to slice into Luke's datapad and obtain the locations of numerous Force nexus in the galaxy. As the cult's plan to drain the Force energy from these locations became evident, Luke sent many Jedi to those locations to oppose the cult and he personally traveled to Dagobah to safeguard that location. As the cult's plan to resurrect the spirit of ancient Sith Lord Marka Ragnos using an ancient scepter was discovered, Luke organized a Jedi strike team to travel to Korriban and defeat the cult once and for all. At least 48 Jedi assembled under Luke, including the Jedi Knight Jaden Korr and his former master, Kyle Katarn. The Jedi successfully landed on Korriban and in the ensuing battle most of the Disciples of Ragnos were killed, along with their leader Tavion Axmis, who was slain by Jaden Korr. Moreover, the Scepter of Ragnos was destroyed and the entrance to Ragnos's tomb was sealed, thus ending that menace forever.[92]

Waru and the Empire Reborn

Luke Skywalker as a full-fledged Jedi

In 14 ABY Luke and Han traveled to Crseih Station, located in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, after receiving a mysterious summons to search for a Jedi. Chewbacca and the three Solo children were with Leia, who was on a diplomatic tour of the galaxy. After several days of travel, Han and Luke arrived in the unstable Crseih system set to meet their contact and investigate what was happening. After some hassling with natives, they found a place where they can stay. Later, the two met their contact, a woman named Xaverri—Han's former lover.[104]

She led them to a building surrounded by people. Inside, she led them to an altar, on which sat Waru, a blob-like being covered in scales and dripping with ichor. Waru, whose origins were a mystery, had incredible healing powers, she claimed. When a group of Zeffliffl approached with a sick companion, Waru enveloped him in his body, opening his scales, and forming a crysalis around the alien. When Waru released the being, he was completely healed. Though Han thought it was a fraud, Luke was awed, a complete believer. He sensed something about Waru. Not quite Force-sensitivity in the alien, but something else. He knew Waru was not his Jedi, but he had a mysterious ability, a strange sense about him.[104]

After the group left the building, the trio returned to their hotel room. When Skywalker found Han and Xaverri together, and angrily accused Han of forgetting Leia. Han asked Luke why he was so angry, and in response, the Jedi stormed out of the room. Han later found Luke in front of Waru, confiding to the mysterious being that he felt lost. Waru comforted him, although he was trying to convince Luke to let him "heal" the Jedi. Han came running over to Luke, and was able to pull his friend away before he climbed "into" Waru. Luke drew his lightsaber, stunning Han, although he suddenly stopped. Apologizing, Luke told his friend that he could not feel the Force anymore.[104]

Luke and Han later encountered a strange being carrying a child outside Waru's temple. Han immediately recognized the child as his son Anakin. Unknown to the group, the man was Hethrir, leader of the Empire Reborn, who had a plan to bring down the New Republic. Not long after the man left, they encountered Leia, who was with Jacen, Jaina and Chewie and Rillao, Hethrir's former lover. She informed them that Hethrir had kidnapped the Solo children, although they had managed to rescue Jacen and Jaina. Hethrir was meeting a group of wealthy individuals who supported the Empire Reborn.[104]

Inside Waru's building they learned of Hethrir's plan. Waru had promised him great power if Hethrir would sacrifice a powerful Force-sensitive. That was what Hethrir needed Anakin for. Springing into action, the group was able to free Anakin, and along with Hethrir's former child slaves, fought him and his Empire Youth. However, before they could escape, Waru was able to con Luke Skywalker into "entering" him, promising he could restore his power. Luke allowed Waru to take him inside his scales. In horror Leia and Han leapt after him, knowing Waru would kill him unless they could stop Luke. Inside Waru they found themselves underwater, near a great dark circle. Leia and Han knew that whoever would enter this would die. Calling for Luke, they were able to snap him out of his trance. The three swam away from the darkness, and jumped out of Waru. In anger, Waru lunged out and grabbed Hethrir, dragging the Dark Jedi inside him.[104]

Waru finally had been able to capture a powerful Force-user, and had drained Hethrir of energy. Luke realized that Waru was from another universe, a place where another form of the Force took the place of the Force. This anti-Force had blocked the Force, robbing Luke (and all other Force-sensitives) of his ability to feel the mystical energy field. Waru, now energized, disappeared, heading back to his alternate universe. This massive energy shift caused the nearby crystallizing star, already unstable, to explode. The group was able to escape on the Millennium Falcon just in time, with R2-D2 activating Crseih's engines to power the station away. They had defeated the threat of Waru and the Empire Reborn.[104]

Finding his role in the Force

"The stronger you become in the Force, the more you can do, the more that's expected of you, and the less your life belongs to you."

In 16 ABY, Luke began to question his role, as he could no longer feel the Force as strongly as he once was able to. Luke had come to a realization that as a Jedi became more intune to the Force, they were more tempted by the dark side, and it became necessary for them to find a "balance" between power and meditation. However, he felt increasingly pulled and wearied by the demands of duty, and longed to get away.[105]

Desperate to find the answer, Luke left Yavin IV, leaving Streen in charge of the Jedi Academy. Telling no one where he was going, he headed to Coruscant, traveling incognito in an E-wing. Once on Coruscant, he located the site of his father's old castle, and using the Force, rebuilt it. Luke spent several weeks alone in the palace, meditating. Leia sensed his presence on Coruscant when he arrived and, seeking to have his aid with her Force-sensitive children, initially wanted to talk to him, but she realized he was hiding and eventually let the matter be.[105]

Not long into his hermitage on Coruscant, Luke contacted Han, inviting him to his hidden retreat, which floated above one of Coruscant's artificial seas. Though his old friend had many questions for him, Luke told him that he was well, but that he needed time to himself and that Leia could handle her children on her own. While he didn't understand all of Luke's philosophical points, Han agreed to convey the message to Leia, leaving Luke to contemplate his role in the Force.[105]

One day, while he was in the midst of his meditations, he was surprised to find that someone had managed to enter his sanctum without him noticing. Rousing from his thoughts, Luke found a human female, Akanah Norand Goss Pell, who identified herself as a Fallanassi Adept who had come to seek him out. Furthermore, she claimed that Luke's mother was a Fallanassi named Nashira. Though he was shocked by her revelation, Akanah told him that it was important that he accompany her to find the hidden Fallanassi refuge and learn of what had befallen his mother; only then would he be whole. She also offered to instruct him in the ways of the White Current, her source of power, as Luke was unable to register her as being Force-sensitive. Luke, unaware of his true lineage, considered Akanah's offer, but first went to Leia to probe her mind for memories of her mother.[105]

However, Leia, frustrated by her fruitless month-long negotiations with ViceroyNil Spaar of the Koornacht Cluster and vexed by Luke's unwillingness to help train her children, refused to go along with his plan, particularly as her mind had already been probed earlier to find more information on their parents. Exploding in a fit of anger of what she saw as his fixation with the past, Leia vehemently sent Luke packing, and Skywalker returned to his hideaway, agreeing to go with Akanah to seek out the Fallanassi and his mother.[105]

As his starfighter was too small to carry them both, they were forced to travel in Akanah's Verpine Adventurer, a decrepit ship which Skywalker soon christened Mud Sloth, and the slow speed of the ship meant that the trip took longer than expected. Their first destination was a world called Lucazec, a relatively backwater world that Akanah informed him had once been home to the Fallanassi until the Empire forced them out. They took a cart through the countryside to the settlement of Ialtra, only to find that it had been destroyed years earlier. While they were investigating the ruins of the Fallanassi dwelling, they came under attack from a pair of men, whom Skywalker surmised to be Imperial agents. While their assailants attempted to capture Akanah, Skywalker easily killed one and dealt the other an incapacitating wound, but the wounded man committed suicide before he could glean any information from him. To his surprise, Akanah was repulsed by his deeds, saying that she was never in danger. After a brief exploration of the settlement, they both returned to Mud Sloth, as Skywalker insisted they get off of Lucazec.[105]

There was a significant delay between Mud Sloth leaving Lucazec and entering hyperdrive due to safety precautions on the ship. After a bit of coaxing from Skywalker, Akanah revealed that she had found writing at the ruins on Lucazec that would take them to the world of Teyr. While Skywalker attempted to disable some of the precautions, he and Akanah talked about numerous things, ranging from their childhoods to Akanah's fear and distrust of Skywalker's willingness to take life so easily. Akanah stated that she did not want him to kill, even to defend her, again, and she did not understand the Jedi's allegiance to the New Republic, an allegiance Skywalker defended by saying that the Jedi were not necessarily beholden to the New Republic and sought above all to maintain the greater peace and order.[106]

They eventually arrived at Teyr and navigated their way through a series of bureaucratic hurdles to land incognito on Teyr. They went to a house on Teyr in the city of Griann where Akanah's people had once lived, but a cyclone years earlier had ruined the dwelling, and all that was left was a hole in the ground. However, using the census records, they were able to find another city, Sodonna, where one of the Fallanassi had gone. Again, the dwelling where Akanah believed the Fallanassi to be was abandoned, but she was able to read another hidden Fallanassi inscription that pointed the two to yet another world, Atzerri. En route, Skywalker also looked up the registry of a ship, Star Morning, that other records had revealed the Fallanassi had used to leave Teyr. Using information from the ship's travel registry, Skywalker determined that the ship had set down on Vulvarch and approached Akanah to suggest journeying there instead of Atzerri. However, she was insistent that they continue to Atzerri and Luke reluctantly complied, angry at her stubbornness.[106]

While they were en route to Atzerri, Skywalker asked Akanah about the White and her involvement in it. She replied that she considered him an honorary member, since his mother was allegedly a member, but said that he would need more than just curiosity to become part of the Fallanassi. Akanah refused to teach him how to read Fallanassi scribing until he passed further tests, such as leaving his lightsaber on Mud Sloth at their next port of call. Upon landing on Atzerri, Akanah insisted on seeking out the Fallanassi on her own, much to Skywalker's perturbation. While she was away, he explored the city in which they had landed, looking at various fraudulent works that claims to be Jedi documents and spending some time at a replica of Jabba's palace. While there, he learned of the burgeoning trouble between the New Republic and the Yevetha in the Koornacht Cluster, which concerned him somewhat.[106]

Upon Akanah's return, she reported to him that she had found nothing and, rather upset, stormed off to the ship's lone bunk to rest from her long trip. Skywalker raised ship, exploring some of the reports he had received in the mean time, including searches on Akanah's personal history. When she awoke, though, Akanah was in a better mood and told him some more of her past, satisfying his curiosities and suspicions about her, and also agreed to teach him to read Fallanassi scribing. Finally, she gave him the location of the White Circle, a planet called J't'p'tan, but did not divulge how she had obtained that information. Skywalker soon realized from the coordinates of the planet that it was in the Koornacht Cluster and wondered how tense the situation between the New Republic and Yevetha had become.[106]

Jedi Master Skywalker

While Mud Sloth once again made its slow way through hyperspace, Akanah confessed the true reasoning for journeying to Atzerri to Skywalker. She admitted that she had known J't'p'tan was their true destination, but said she had gone to Atzerri in hopes of finding her father, but instead found him addicted to the Rokna blue drug, unable to remember her or her mother. At her sudden outburst of sorrow, Luke felt sorry for her and comforted her, holding her close in the ship's bunk.[106] Their relationship deepened to physical intimacy. Awaking later, Akanah asked Skywalker about his family, a topic which he was loathe to discuss, though she slowly coaxed the truth out of him. Their conversation eventually turned to the role of the Jedi, and Skywalker reiterated his commitment to the idea that Jedi carried weapons because they empowered to act, and needed to use force at times.[107]

However, mechanical failure forced Mud Sloth to make a stop at the world of Utharis near the edge of the Koornacht Cluster. Akanah was worried and frustrated by the delay and suggested they steal a ship, a notion which Skywalker firmly quashed. While their ship was repaired, he took the opportunity to learn more about the impending war between the New Republic and Yevetha. He discovered that tensions had heightened, but a lock on information by the New Republic prevented him from learning about Han Solo's capture by the Yevetha. A message from Streen also told him that R2-D2 and C-3PO had been borrowed by Lando Calrissian for some excursion of his. For the moment, Skywalker believed that he needed to continue with Akanah to J't'p'tan. He used the Force to have Mud Sloth given priority for repairs, and he and Akanah were soon on their way.[107]

Arriving over J't'p'tan, Skywalker and Akanah found a Yevethan warship over the world, but Akanah employed her Fallanassi illusion technique to hide Mud Sloth's approach. Landing on the planet, which had been partially bombarded as part of the Yevethan Purge, they began exploring the surface. When Akanah suddenly disappeared, Skywalker grew concerned initially, but soon realized the Fallanassi were there. Akanah and two members of the Fallanassi White Circle then rematerialized in front of him—an elder woman named Wialu and a friend of Akanah's named Norika. Wialu thanked him for helping guide Akanah back, but also told him that he had to take Mud Sloth and leave at once. Skywalker was unwilling to do so, as he still sought tidings of his mother, and though Akanah sided with him, Wialu was recalcitrant. At that point, Akanah used her own abilities to reveal the H'kig colonists and Fallanassi that had been shielded from view.[107]

Skywalker was impressed by their abilities and sought to enlist the aid of the Fallanassi in the New Republic's struggle against the Yevetha, as the invading aliens had completely missed the settlement on J't'p'tan in their purge. Skywalker suggested that the Fallanassi could generate the illusion of a fleet large enough to persuade the Yevetha to surrender. Numerous Fallanassi were swayed by his words and Wialu decided to journey with Skywalker to lend her aid to the New Republic, though the older woman insisted that Akanah accompany her.[107]

With Wialu and Akanah in tow, Skywalker met with General Etahn A'baht, commander of the New Republic's Fifth Fleet, which was deployed in the Koornacht Cluster. Skywalker offered the services of the Fallanassi to the New Republic, but the flag officers were skeptical of their alleged mystic powers. As a demonstration, Wialu demonstrated the Fallanassi's illusory powers when a group of New Republic ships arrived to reinforce the Fifth Fleet. She generated the appearance of many more ships than had actually arrived, convincing the fleet. Thereafter, General A'bath decided to strike at the Yevethan homeworld of N'zoth, where the illusion would have the most success. Shortly before the strike was carried out, Skywalker also witnessed the successful return of a Wookiee strike team, led by Chewbacca, from N'zoth. The Wookiees, with the tacit aid of a Fallanassi named Enara, had been able to rescue Han Solo. Skywalker was shocked to learn that Solo had been captured; when Chewbacca asked him where the Jedi had been, Skywalker had no ready answer, but professed ignorance of the situation. He later expressed to his regrets for not helping to Solo personally. In the prelude of the move on N'zoth, Skywalker tried to inquire more about Nashira, but neither Wialu or Akanah provided him any more information.[107]

As the fleet prepared to depart for N'zoth, Skywalker was offered command of an E-wing squadron by A'baht, but he declined it, saying that on the request of the Fallanassi, he would not directly participate in the battle. A'baht was perplexed by his decision, but Skywalker was resolute. The Fifth Fleet arrived over N'zoth and Wialu generated her illusion, maintaining it for as long as she could, as the Yevetha were unswayed by the appearance of a massive armada and moved to strike at the Fifth Fleet. The New Republic was ultimately successful in defeating the Yevetha, although they were forced to completely destroy the enemy fleet.[107]

After the battle, the Fallanassi told Skywalker that they planned to depart and sequester themselves in hiding on another location, far from the eyes of the galaxy. Skywalker was not invited to accompany them, despite his curiosity about their ways, although he did ask Wialu and Akanah about Nashira one last time. Akanah then admitted that she had used Skywalker to help find her way back to the rest of the Fallanassi—while Akanah's mother had helped betray the Fallanassi years earlier and had been condemned for her actions, Wialu had left a path for Akanah to follow back to the rest of the White Circle when she was older. Akanah then revealed that the Imperial agents on Lucazec had been an illusion, a way of testing Skywalker to see what kind of person he was. She then admitted that "Nashira" had not been Skywalker's mother, but a Fallanassi woman who had aided Akanah as a child. Luke was considerably upset by the revelation that she had been lying to him throughout the journey. He did see her off, though, as the Fallanassi departed to begin their new life, and she apologized to him before departing.[107]

Not long after the Fallanassi left, Skywalker received a message from Hiram Drayson, who informed him that his two droids had been located, but Skywalker would need to retrieve them himself. Calrissian had taken them and his former aide Lobot on a mission to explore the Teljkon Vagabond, which had turned out to be an automated and rather hostile Qellan starship now orbiting the planet of Brath Qella. Taking Mud Sloth, Skywalker arrived at Qella to find the automated Qellan vessel floating there. Collecting a scientist named Joto Eckels, who was curious about the vagabond, Skywalker used a Fallanassi illusion to approach the ship without being detected. He was able to reach Calrissian and the others, and by talking to Lobot, who had managed to communicate with the ship, learned that the Qellans had built the ship to thaw out their planet after a global ice age years before. The expedition was able to provide the ship with the information it would need to restore the world, and Skywalker used another Fallanassi illusion to hide Brath Qella while the process took place. Then, after helping retrieve Calrissian, Lobot, Eckels, and the two droids from the Qellan ship, he returned to Coruscant. There, he destroyed the sanctuary he had made and went to visit Leia, promising to be around more now that his journey had helped him find his role in the Force.[107]

Almanian rebellion

"Kueller helped you survive, but you don't need him anymore. You have me. Come with me, Dolph, back to Yavin 4. We can heal those wounds the Je'har put in your heart."

Skywalker was back on Yavin IV, training his students, when he felt a great disturbance in the Force, akin to another attack by a Death Star. Sensing danger directed towards his sister, he decided to immediately journey to Coruscant in his X-wing to meet her. Arriving on Coruscant, he found that the Senate Hall had suffered a bombing attack in its opening session. He was relieved to hear that Leia, although injured, had escaped serious harm and went to visit her after calming her children's fears—they, too, had felt the disturbance in the Force. Leia was convinced that the Empire was behind the assault, but Luke wasn't so sure.[108]

Investigating the ruined hall, he noticed that the damage had been caused by several small blasts. Upon closer examination, he sensed the presence of a former student of his, a man named Brakiss. Brakiss had been sent by the Empire to infiltrate the Jedi academy, but Skywalker had detected his intentions almost immediately. Nevertheless, he had begun Brakiss's training when, after having Brakiss confront the dark side within him, the trainee had been overcome by anger and fear, departing the academy shortly afterward for the Empire. Before Skywalker got too far into his investigation, R2-D2 and C-3PO reported to him, with R2-D2 informing him that they had been briefly imprisoned and his X-wing disassembled by Kloperian mechanics working for the New Republic. Disturbed, Luke decided to take R2 with him to investigate the X-wing.[108]

When he arrived, Skywalker found that his fighter had been taken apart in the midst of a fleetwide upgrade for the starfighters that included removal of the astromech droid. Displeased, he told the mechanic on duty, Cole Fardreamer, to work with R2-D2 to reassemble it in the original configuration while he sorted the issue out with the source of the order, his old friend Wedge Antilles. Skywalker instructed Fardreamer to have the fighter ready to fly when he returned, and then departed to investigate the whereabouts of Brakiss, though not before speaking with Leia first, to inform of her of his unease with the situation. His fighter wasn't ready, so he took one of the new models and departed, unknowing that the newer X-wings had a detonator built into their computer core as part of a grand sabotage scheme.[108]

Skywalker arrived on Msst, Brakiss's last known location, but found nothing. Looking around his X-wing, he was suddenly attacked by floating bubble-like creatures known as mistmakers. He attempted to defend himself, but after bursting a mistmaker with the Force, the corrosive remains of its body remained down on him, knocking him unconscious and leaving burns across his body. When he awoke, he was floating on an air cushion, having been tended to by an elderly woman who lived on Msst, who turned out to be Brakiss's mother, who told him about her son's history. She bore no resentment towards him, as she recognized that Luke Skywalker had tried to redeem her son after the conditioning the Empire had put Brakiss through since his childhood. She warned him away from Brakiss, saying he was dangerous, but she did give Skywalker Brakiss's location: the droid manufacturing world of Telti. Journeying there, Skywalker met no reception initially, though he sensed Brakiss's presence. Instead, he met a droid, C-9PO, who had been sent to receive him by Brakiss. When he finally met Brakiss, the two briefly conversed, with Skywalker asking if he had been involved in the attack on the Senate Hall and then imploring him to return to Yavin Four and back to the service of the Force. Brakiss ultimately refused and briefly dueled with Skywalker. Realizing that he couldn't win, Brakiss raised his lightsaber in salute and told Luke to kill him, but Skywalker would not. Brakiss then revealed that the person Skywalker sought was on Almania, waiting for him.[108]

Arriving near Almania, Skywalker sensed that the disturbance he had felt earlier had come from its moon, Pydyr, and he decided to land there and discover its source. As he approached for a landing on the deserted moon, he lost control of his X-wing due to its computer locking up and it exploded in midair. He managed to survive the landing, but with significant burns and other injuries. Little did he know he was being observed and the transmission passed on to his sister on Coruscant, who immediately resolved to journey to Almania, accompanied by a battle fleet. While wandering the deserted city, looking for other people and for medical supplies, he encountered a masked figure who identified himself as Kueller, and Luke recognized him as a man powerful in the dark side of the Force, but who had once been a student of his named Dolph. Kueller explained that he had returned to Almania to find his parents slain by the ruling government, the Je'har. Devastated, he had taken revenge against them, slaying everyone on Pydyr, and now he stood posed to confront Skywalker and the New Republic for galactic power. The two duelled, and Kueller was able to overcome Luke in his weakened state. He had Skywalker imprisoned, locked into a cell with a sizable sapient creature known as a thernbee, which was intended to eat him. Instead, Skywalker befriended the thernbee and it helped him escape the prison. Skywalker and the thernbee departed Kueller's facility and met with Leia, who had arrived on Almania to look for him. They were en route to her ship, the Alderaan, when Kueller attacked Skywalker. Their lightsabers clashed once more, but Skywalker was still weak. Leia tried to fire upon Kueller with a blaster, but he easily deflected her fire. At one point, Kueller brandished a remote, threatening to activate the detonators he placed in droids across the galaxy—detonators which had already been used in Luke's X-wing and in the Senate Hall—and Skywalker knew that with each death, Kueller would be able to wield more dark side power. To stop him, Skywalker prepared to sacrifice himself and help Leia defeat Kueller. Before Kueller could activate the remote, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Mara Jade arrived with ysalamari. The effect from the ysalamiri cut off Kueller from the Force and he was momentarily stunned. Leia took the initiative and shot him, ending the threat he had posed to the galaxy, though R2-D2 had already remotely disabled the droids from a location on Telti.[108]

First Corellian Insurrection

At the start of the Corellian Trade Summit attended by the Solo family, Luke was off helping Lando Calrissian look for a wealthy wife. Luke was willing to vouch for Lando, who admittedly had undertaken some new more altruistic ventures including affordable, safe, subterranean housing on Coruscant. Luke was somewhat surprised that Lando managed to con him into going with him, and was quite concerned when Lando almost made a lethal vow of matrimony with a "life witch". On another planet, their quest turned out to be a waste of time as the prospective wife was already married. However, on Sacorria, Lando found a woman named Tendra Risant whom Lando was attracted to, but the two were quickly chased off the planet by the local authorities.[109]

Not much later, Luke was unexpectedly contacted by a little-known New Republic Intelligence agent named Belindi Kalenda, who had recently escaped from the Corellian sector. Kalenda had been instructed by Han Solo right before he bought time for her escape to only deliver a message to either AdmiralAckbar or Luke. Luke received her report about the First Corellian Insurrection, and after consulting with New Republic officials, flew to Bakura to request the aid of Bakura's fleet, as the New Republic was perilously low on ready warships. Also, the Bakurans had technology to help circumvent the interdiction field around the whole system. To aid in his mission, Luke contacted Gaeriel Captison once more, and, along with Belindi Kalenda, accompanied the Bakuran fleet to the Corellian system.[110] Later Luke led the mission to investigate Centerpoint Station and his Jedi powers helped the entire party survive the increasingly hot and hazardous environment of what was once Hollowtown, which was located in the very core of Centerpoint Station. They just barely escaped before the environment became entirely lethal. Luke was finally reunited with the Solos on Selonia, where they prepared to defend against the Sacorrian fleet. Luke also encountered Mara Jade again on Selonia, as she had been with Leia during the initial attack. In the final battle against the Sacorrian fleet, Luke fought for the Bakurans from his X-wing, holding out until Admiral Ackbar arrived with a New Republic fleet. The insurrection was squelched.[111]

Caamas Document Crisis

Not long after, the New Republic threatened to crumble when the Caamas Document, an Imperial file that implicated a group of Bothans in the orbital bombardment of Caamas, probably on Palpatine's order, was found. However, the document was altered to include the names of several prominent Bothan clans as having something to do with the attack. When the crisis first started, Luke was asked by Han Solo to help with some negotiations between the Ishori and the Diamala. While fending off a pirateattack, Luke started to draw on the power of Force to defeat the pirates, but realized that that action would lead him close to the dark side.[112]

Luke and Mara try to escape the caves of Nirauan.

While fighting the pirates, Luke sensed that he was fighting clones. Curious, Luke eventually tracked the Cavrilhu Pirates back to their base. Luke successfully infiltrated their base, but was caught and nearly trapped by the inventive outlaws. However, he escaped and was rescued by Mara Jade shortly before their base self-destructed.[112] Luke also made a visit to Nirauan to find Mara Jade, who had traveled there in order to investigate some unusual alien spacecraft. He had been led there by a Force vision of Mara floating prone in a pool of water. Meeting up with Mara, they and R2-D2 managed to infiltrate an Empire of the Handfortress known as the Hand of Thrawn and damaged its hangar bay, preventing the occupants from contacting or allying with the Imperial Remnant. Later, Luke, Mara, and R2 would return to the fortress to obtain a copy of the Caamas Document. With aid provided by local Qom Jha and Qom Qae, Luke and Mara entered the fortress, battling numerous Chiss warriors equipped with ysalamiri and charrics. In the process, they destroyed an immature clone of Thrawn and destroyed a large part of the fortress while escaping through the rush of floodwater they created by destroying a fusion generator. While battling guard droids, Luke and Mara experienced a form of Force meld, seeing each other's inner emotions and selves.[113]

Marriage to Mara Jade

Jade: "You're not concerned about our getting married, are you?"

Skywalker: "Don't even joke, having you say you'd become my wife is the best thing that has ever happened to me. No regrets, no concerns, not now, not ever."

His many failed romances, coupled with the strain of his duties as a Jedi Master, had often seemed to indicate that Luke was to follow in his mentor's footsteps and live a life of solitude. However, Skywalker found his match in Mara Jade. After the signing of the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty, Luke and Mara spent a couple of weeks vacationing at the Vlassy Nature Preserve on the planet of Garqi. There, they had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the planet's scenery, though, in a conversation with Jade, Skywalker confessed that he was rather nervous about the future ahead. Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, Leia announced Luke's and Mara's wedding, which was taken by the press as a sign of unity between the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic; however, many critics saw the union as a means to establish a Jedi Empire. To complicate matters further, C-3PO became involved in the wedding planning, resulting in a more grandiose ceremony, much to Luke's dismay.[114]

Luke and Mara marry on Coruscant.

As the news made its way across the galaxy, Luke and Mara returned to Coruscant to begin wedding preparations. Upon their arrival in the planet's busy metropolis, the couple was greeted by Han and Leia, who had recently returned from their public appearance at the Senate announcing the marriage. While Mara and Leia went around Coruscant searching for potential dress designers, Luke and Han traveled to a local pub for a casual outing, where Solo revealed the glamorized state of the wedding to Skywalker. After sharing pleasantries over a few drinks, Luke returned to the newly rebuilt Jedi temple to resume his daily activities. There, he talked with Kam Solusar and Corran Horn about the possibility of a Jedi ceremony, in addition to a more publicized one. Horn suggested that they hold the Jedi ceremony first, as he felt that having the public event as a Jedi one would confuse the public and make them feel excluded from what was supposed to be a uniting event; Skywalker agreed and preparations were immediately made. Later that day, Luke and Mara held a private, less formal ceremony in the Jedi training area. Joining two halves of a crystal together in a symbol of their union, the couple were married by Solusar.[114]

Shortly after the ceremony, Han took Luke to the Red Rancor cantina, where he and Antilles had arranged a surprise bachelor party featuring numerous guests, including members of Rogue Squadron, Jedi, and other old acquaintances. The festivities had barely begun, however, before a swoop gang picked a fight with the group, causing a huge bar brawl. With many Jedi, Rogues, and smugglers involved, the bachelor party quickly overpowered the swoop gang, though, during the ensuing fight, Luke had sustained a bruise to his eye and the party left the cantina before media attention was attracted. Mara was displeased to find that he had been fighting and urged him to take it easy. However, on the eve of their wedding day, both Luke and Mara found relaxation difficult as they experienced somber visions, in which Palpatine had succeeded in swaying Luke to the dark side.[114]

The next morning, he and the other men in the wedding went for their fittings. Just before the wedding was to begin, Karrde came to Antilles and the others with Banner Sumptor, a man who had been part of a rogue Imperial moff's scheme to disrupt the wedding and assassinate Luke and Mara, but had a change of heart. Antilles insisted that the ceremony go on and took command of the defense, assigning several of the Rogue Squadron members present to security duties. Celchu, Darklighter, and Antilles were able to drive off the swoopers, while Luke succeeded in dissuading the moff, who personally interrupted the wedding ceremony, from carrying out his mission, urging him to join in the reconciliation. Despite the minor setback, the ceremony continued, with Luke and Mara exchanging their wedding vows and rings. After their reception, Han flew the couple to their honeymoon site.[114]

Luke and Mara on their second honeymoon

About a year later, Luke, accompanied by Mara, was working to arbitrate disputes, many of them generational, on a planet that especially revered Jedi. While his wife was growing flustered by all these demands on his time, Luke took the opportunity to arrange a second honeymoon for his wife via one of his local contacts, which was a pleasant relief for both of them.[115]

Junior Jedi Academy

"You are all here because the power of the Force is strong within you. You are here because the New Republic needs Jedi Knights. And you are here because it is your destiny to train to become Jedi Knights and use the Force when necessary to maintain peace in our galaxy."

Around 22 ABY, Luke and his former student Tionne traveled to Tatooine on a quest for young Jedi candidates, where they came upon an orphaned Human girl named Tahiri, who had been adopted by a tribe of Tusken Raiders. The Jedi sensed the Force in Tahiri and decided to bring her to Yavin 4 for training, promising the Sand People Tahiri would come back one day to decide if she would stay with them or continue her schooling. The day after returning to the Jedi Praxeum with their newest recruit, the Master and Jedi historian started the first session of the Junior Jedi Academy. Luke sensed that Tahiri and his nephew Anakin, another student at the academy, were stronger as a team than many adult Jedi, and so did not punish them harshly for disappearing into the jungle during their first days of instruction.[95]

Skywalker with several of his students

One week later, Luke reluctantly allowed Anakin and Tahiri to accompany the MelodieLyric to Yavin 8 for her Changing Ceremony. When the two students returned bedraggled, battered, and bruised with a new Melodie named Sannah, Luke was worried and upset about the dangers the kids had gotten themselves into; still, upon sensing the Force running strongly within Sannah, he allowed the young girl to stay and study with her new friends at the Jedi Praxeum.[116]

One week after the students returned from Yavin 8 and six months after Luke's last visit to Tatooine where he first met Tahiri, Skywalker sent Tahiri back to Tatooine to fulfill his promise to the Sand People, accompanied by Anakin and Tionne in Peckhum's Lightning Rod. There, the Jedi faced more danger, to Luke's dismay, but showed signs of their continuing growth in the use of the Force, leading the Jedi Master to believe that they would become powerful Jedi Knights. When Anakin and Tahiri secretly slipped out again to break the curse of the Golden Globe, Luke Skywalker met the ancient Jedi Master Ikrit, who explained the whole situation to him. He was very proud when the two young Jedi candidates returned, having successfully freed the trapped Massassi souls.[117]

Three months later, Luke welcomed Anakin back to the academy from his break on Coruscant and, realizing that the boy was troubled, told him they needed to talk when he was ready. Yet before they could meet, a boy named Uldir was discovered stowing away in the Lightning Rod's cargo hold. Dreaming of becoming an adventurous Jedi, Uldir demanded to be brought before Luke Skywalker. Luke agreed to test the boy, but did not find much, if any, Force potential within him; however, he allowed Uldir to stay at the academy for several months with his parents' permission. After a conversation with Ikrit, Luke realized that Anakin was upset by thoughts of who he really was inside. At the Kushiban Jedi's suggestion and the approval of the Solos, Luke allowed Anakin to go to Dagobah with his friends, in order to give the boy time to explore his inner self. After the kids returned, including Uldir, who had once more stowed away, Luke met with each individually in his office to discuss their encounters, before sending them on to talk to Tionne. Despite recognizing that each child had learned an important lesson, Luke knew that they would have many more trials and adventures in their future.[118]

Some time later, Luke sent Anakin, Tahiri, and Uldir to meet Tionne, who was returning from a research mission to Borgo Prime. As he routinely cleaned R2-D2, oiling and upgrading the droid's various components, the trio entered his office with the Jedi historian and news of a Jedi relic, Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber, originally thought lost in the destruction of the first Death Star. According to Tionne, a Hutt information broker located Kenobi's lightsaber in an abandoned castle on Vjun. From Tionne's description, Luke quickly recognized the castle as Darth Vader's former fortress, Bast Castle. Wishing to retrieve the lightsaber but unable to because of an urgent meeting with Leia on Coruscant, Luke agreed to let Tionne, Ikrit, and R2-D2 escort Anakin, Tahiri, and Uldir to Vjun, assuming the parents of the two boys consented. They did, so the group traveled to Vjun, whereupon they battled through booby traps and fought off Orloc, the "Mage" of Exis Station, who was likewise seeking the saber. Skywalker met the group on the temple landing pad upon their return, pleased to see that they had recovered a holocron in addition to Kenobi's lightsaber, and surprised to find the adventurers arriving in two ships, Sunrider and the Lore Seeker, when they had departed in one.[119]

Luke was soon called back to Coruscant for several weeks, leaving lessons at the Praxeum in the hands of Tionne. After showing Anakin, Tahiri, and Uldir the basic workings of Asli Krimsan's holocron, Tionne placed the recovered relics in Luke's quarters until he returned; impatient with the slow pace of learning, Uldir sneaked in to Luke's vacant room and "borrowed" the lightsaber and holocron. Discovering the theft of the objects, and the disappearance of Uldir and Ikrit's Sunrider, Anakin, Tahiri, Tionne, Ikrit, and R2-D2 flew to Exis Station. There, they rescued the artifacts and Uldir, who had nearly been corrupted by the false magician Orloc. The reformed Uldir realized that he would never be a Jedi, and a week after they returned to Yavin, Luke spent several hours discussing things with the boy, pushing him towards becoming an emergency pilot. Uldir decided to do that and left the academy the next day.[120]

Later that year, Luke joined his wife, Mara, on a trip to an Outer Rim planet to meet with the smuggler boss Huxley, a long-time member of Talon Karrde's organization. Mara informed him that Karrde no longer needed his services, as she was going legitimate. Huxley, angered by what he saw as betrayal, demanded Mara pay 500,00 credits. Mara refused, and in response Huxley revealed to Mara his secret weapon—a Clone Wars droideka. Mara knew that even though the droid was old, it could still be deadly. She distracted Huxley and his gangsters while her husband destroyed the droid. Huxley was then forced to surrender and drop his demands.[121]

The rediscovery of Outbound Flight

Immediately after this incident, Luke and his wife learned through Talon Karrde of a message sent to them by Admiral Voss Parck. Parck informed them that the Chiss had discovered the remains of Outbound Flight, an old ship used in an expedition to search for life outside the galaxy nearly fifty years ago. Chaf'orm'bintrano, a Chiss Aristocra asked the Parck send a message to the New Republic's greatest Jedi. Luke had not received the summons, Parck informed them, because an engineer on an Outer Rim space station by the name of Dean Jinzler had stolen it.[121]

Luke and Mara nonetheless headed to Chiss space, where they boarded the Chaf Envoy to meet with the Aristocra. However, in the entrance corridor, they were nearly knocked unconscious by a heavy metal cable which had swung loose. The two were saved only by Luke's Jedi danger sense and quick reflexes. They then met with Formbi, as he requested they call him, who told them more about Outbound Flight. It had been destroyed nearly 50 years ago by a rogue Chiss—Thrawn. Recently, the remains had been found, and the Chiss thought it may contain information useful to the Jedi. Formbi then introduced the two to Dean Jinzler, whom he believed to be a New Republic ambassador. He recognized that the two Jedi knew he was not from the government, and admitted that he had stolen the message, claiming he needed to see the wrecakge of Outbound Flight for "personal reasons".[121]

Luke and Mara on a mission to the ruins of Outbound Flight

Shortly after the two Jedi had boarded the Chaf Envoy, a group of aliens known as the Geroons contacted the Chiss. They claimed Outbound Flight had saved them from their captors, the Vagaari, decades ago. They wished to visit the site and pay homage to their heroes. Formbi agreed to let a Geroon shuttle dock with the Chaf Envoy. Later, Mara headed back to the corridor where the cable had slipped, looking to see if it was a true accident or sabotage. Though she was unable to confirm it was purposely released, it seemed highly likely it had been let go on purpose. There, she made another startling discover—a group of stormtroopers were onboard the Chaf Envoy. The commander spotted her, and introduced himself, Chak Fel, leader of Unit Aurek-Seven of the 501st. He told her that Parck had sent them to watch over the Jedi for reasons unknown to the stormtroopers or Mara.[121]

Though Mara insisted they did not need protection, Fel told them he was under Imperial orders, and he would do his duty. It was later revealed to Luke that one of the members of the 501st was an Eickarie, something Palpatine would not have allowed. This was one of the first clues to Luke and Mara that the Empire of the Hand, as it was called, was dramatically different from the old Empire Mara had served.[121]

As the ship traveled to the wreckage, which was located in the Redoubt, the mission was beset by several problems. Line creepers were found in the power lines, a set of Outbound Flight's schematics possessed by Fel was stolen and one of the Geroons was shot. The Jedi were unable to rule out anyone as the guilty party.[121]

Despite these problems, the Chaf Envoy made it to Outbound Flight. Luke, Mara, Jinzler, Formbi, GeneralDrask and of his several Chiss soldiers and the Geroons boarded the ancient ship. Once onboard, the two Jedi were shocked when they sensed the presence of others on the ship—the survivors. The group, now realizing that they must approach this differently, set out to explore the ship, splitting up into several groups.[121]

However, each group was lured into a trap by two of the survivors, Guardian Pressor and his niece Evlyn. As they followed Evlyn, a section of the floor fell out, trapping the groups in a small room which began to descend. They were in turbolifts. After a time, each group was contacted by Jorad Pressor, who warned them that the cars would drop if they tried to escape, something that would kill them all. He agreed to free "ambassador" Jinzler and the three beings with him, two Geroons and the Chiss Feesa, but refused to release the Jedi.[121]

Meanhwile, Luke and Mara had managed to escape from their car, despite the high probability of the car crashing. Along with Drask, they headed for the control room, where the leadership of the survivors waited along with Jinzler, negotiating for their release. At this time, Mara came to a sudden realization—the Geroons were playing them for fools. She had connected several small clues to realize that the Geroons were not the peaceful beings they claimed to be, but creatures with sinister plans. Shortly after this, Jinzler contacted them. He told the Jedi that the Geroons had attacked them in the conference room with their pet wolvkils. One of the survivors had identified them as Vagaari, vicious enemies of the Chiss.[121]

Mara and Luke managed to contact Fel and the 501st and warn them of the danger. On their way to the conference room where Jinzler and some of the survivors were trapped by several wolvkils, the two Jedi encountered dozens of Vagaari warriors and their wolvkils. The Vagaari had kept the warriors in suspended animation in rooms partiallly open to vacuum on their ship, fouling up scanners. However, the Vagaari and even their vicious pets were no match for the two Jedi. Upon their arrival in the conference room, they defeated the wolvkils and freed the prisoners. However, it was too late to stop the Vagaari, who had taken one of the functional Dreadnaughts from Outbound Flight. The Jedi were unsure of how they could stop them, until one of the "natives" revealed they had a Delta-12 starfighter, a fast two-man ship that could catch up to the Dreadnaught before it made it out of the Redoubt.[121]

The two managed to catch up to the ship before it could exit the Redoubt, and board it through a gaping hole in the side. Once onboard, they made it through the hallways, defeating more Vagaari warriors until they reached the bridge. There, they killed all except the leader, Estosh. Estosh attempted to kill them with poison gas, but they destroyed the canisters, killing Estosh. However, he had already entered the coordinates of the Vagaari fleets location, enabling the Chiss to find them and earning the Jedi the respect of commander Prard'enc'iflar.[121]

Second Imperium

"Be careful—don't assume a teacher is always right, without question. You have to think for yourself. Sometimes we teachers make mistakes, too. But in this case, I am right: You're not yet ready for a lightsaber."

―Luke Skywalker to Jacen Solo, after discovering his nephew playing with his lightsaber in his office.[src]

Following the defeat of the Vagaari, Luke Skywalker returned to the Yavin Four Academy part time to instruct more potential Jedi in the ways of the Force, though he continued to take missions of his own and left much of the instruction to other Jedi he had trained. Among them were his nephew Jacen and niece Jaina Solo. As he had with his first class, Skywalker's curriculum contained lessons and exercises concerning the use of the Force, but was not strictly regimented in the same manner as the Old Jedi Order. Instead, he sought to allow his students to learn and discover at their rate and in their own way while providing a guiding influence.[93]

Skywalker around the time of the Second Imperium Crisis

During one lecture, though, Skywalker was interrupted by R2-D2, who informed him of trouble on the landing pad. Luke sprinted out to the pad to find a large jungle creature terrorizing a spacer named Peckhum, who had just landed his ship near the academy. While some of the Jedi trainees and Peckhum expected Skywalker to fight the creature, he sensed that the animal was confused, not malicious, and calmed it down with the Force. Then, he planted a suggestion in its mind that the academy was not of interest and the beast crashed back off into the jungle, to the amazement of the onlookers. Greeting the frightened spacer, Luke assigned Jacen, Jaina, and a Dathomiri trainee named Tenel Ka to assist Peckhum in unloading his ship, informing them that their father, Han Solo, would soon be bringing another Jedi trainee, the Wookiee Lowbacca to Yavin Four.[93]

While teaching the trainees in the ways of the Force was sometimes challenging, such as when Skywalker was asked almost nonstop questions by Raynar Thul or when he came across a large food fight, he found the work rewarding and devoted his time to raising the next generation of Jedi. Shortly after Lowbacca arrived, though, he was called away on a mission. While he was gone, the Solo twins were briefly taken prisoner by an Imperial TIE pilot named Qorl, who had been marooned on the moon since the Battle of Yavin. The twins were forced to help him repair his derelict fighter, but they made their way back to the Temple after Qorl blasted off. Meanwhile, Lowbacca and Tenel Ka had raised the alarm at the Jedi Academy. By the time Skywalker returned it had been a few days since Han Solo, who had been in the system visiting Lando Calrissian's GemDiver Station over Yavin Prime, had chased off the TIE fighter in the Millennium Falcon. Skywalker was impressed with how the Jedi trainees had worked together, as well as their continued commitment to the Jedi path in the face of adversity.[93]

Skywalker also assisted Tenel Ka in keeping secret that she was the Hapan heir by arranging a visit to GemDiver Station for the rest of her friends when Hapan ambassador Yfra arrived. However, the ambassador was delayed, and in the meantime, Lando Calrissian reported that GemDiver Station had been attacked and boarded. Furthermore, Calrissian informed Skywalker that the Jedi trainees had been kidnapped by the attackers, who were apparently some form of Imperial splinter faction. Taking Tenel Ka with him, he journeyed to GemDiver Station to investigate the abduction. Upon arrival, Calrissian informed him that the craft used to breach the station's defenses had been equipped with industrial-grade corusca gems mined at GemDiver and sold to a gem broker on Borgo Prime. Contacting Han and Leia, Luke urged restraint on their part while he investigated the fresh trail in the Odd Chance, a ship borrowed from Calrissian, and they reluctantly agreed.[122]

Landing on the disreputable world of Borgo Prime, Skywalker and Tenel Ka began searching for a trader dealing in corusca gems, operating under aliases to conceal their identities. Meeting with a Hutt information broker, Skywalker was able to find the gem broker who had recently dealt in corusca gems and learned from him that she had claimed to be a Nightsister, the dark side Force witches of Dathomir he had previously fought. The pair of Jedi then immediately set out for Dathomir to investigate the possible return of the Nightsisters. Meeting with the Singing Mountain clan leader Augwynne, Skywalker learned that the Nightsisters had risen again and were allied with the Empire. When a Nightsister named Vonnda Ra arrived at the Singing Mountain clan village searching for recruits, Skywalker and his young companion observed her and resolved to journey to the Great Canyon, where Ra had said for any prospective recruits to journey for training. Tenel Ka and Skywalker successfully infiltrated the Nightsister enclave and were taken in an experimental shuttle to the Shadow Academy, a secret space station used for training Dark Jedi. Skywalker refrained from revealing the full measure of his abilities during the tests they were put through by the Nightsisters, but as their questioner, a Nightsister named Garowyn, focused on Tenel Ka, he was in little danger of being discovered. In a swift display of the Force, Skywalker hurled Garowyn into an escape pod and jettisoned her into deep space as soon as the Nightsister had set their course for the Shadow Academy. Although their destination at first appeared to be empty space, the station deactivated its cloaking device and allowed the shuttle to land. However, before they had even left the hangar bay, Skywalker and Tenel Ka were met by Jacen, Jaina, and Lowbacca, who had escaped from imprisonment and their Imperial captors. Before they could escape, though, Skywalker was confronted by his former apprentice Brakiss, who was now in charge of the Shadow Academy. Before their argument progressed to violence, though, Jaina Solo used their shuttle's laser cannons to disable a set of door controls, separating Skywalker and Brakiss. Escaping the space station, they returned to Yavin Four, broadcasting a warning to the New Republic. Back on the jungle moon, Skywalker asked his nephew Jacen what he learned about the use of a lightsaber, as Brakiss had allowed him to handle one during indoctrination sessions on the Shadow Academy. While the younger Solo replied that he knew it was not a weapon to be used lightly, Skywalker told him the existence of the Shadow Academy meant the new group of Jedi trainees might soon be thrown into conflict.[122]

Facing the shadow

"Remember, a Jedi fights only as a last resort. If you are forced to draw your lightsaber, you have already forfeited much of your advantage. A Jedi trusts the Force and at first seeks other ways to resolve problems: patience, logic, tolerance, attentive listening, negotiation, persuasion, calming techniques. But there are times when a Jedi must fight. Knowing that the Shadow Academy is out there, I fear those times will come all too often for us. And so you must learn how to wield your lightsabers."

During this period, Skywalker sent Jaina and Jacen, along with Lowbacca and Tenel Ka, back to Coruscant so the Solo twins could be with their parents and have a reprieve from their Jedi studies. During their trip, they met and befriended a street urchin named Zekk. However, Brakiss and his Nightsister aide Tamith Kai abducted Zekk and, realizing he was Force-sensitive, began training him at the Shadow Academy after persuading Zekk to join them. Skywalker greeted his trainees upon their return, encouraging them by saying it would still be possible to redeem Zekk and that it was not their fault that the orphan had gone over to the Shadow Academy. However, after a visit to learn more of what the New Republic had uncovered about the Shadow Academy Skywalker was also concerned enough about it to begin preparations for a battle between the Shadow Academy's Dark Jedi and his Jedi Order.[123]

Skywalker and his nephew, Jacen Solo

As part of his preparations, Skywalker kept his own physical and mental skills sharp, challenging himself daily with workout routines and meditation exercises. Skywalker also warned his trainees of the threat posed to them by the Shadow Academy. He also informed the two Solos, Lowbacca, and Tenel Ka that the time had come for them to construct their own lightsabers, as the Shadow Academy had already tried targeting them, placing them in a threatened status. The four all constructed their own unique weapons over a period of weeks. After they were completed, Skywalker helped instruct his students in the proper use of the Jedi weapon, training them against dueling droids, stationary targets, and training remotes before letting them practice against one another. However, in one of their training matches, Jacen Solo accidentally sliced off Tenel Ka's left arm when the power supply in her lightsaber failed due to a defect in the construction. After seeing that she received medical attention, Skywalker allowed Tenel Ka to be returned to her family on Hapes, though the episode leaked her identity as the heir to the Hapan throne to the other trainees.[124]

However, Tenel Ka was not allowed to receive messages from the Jedi, due to an order by her grandmother Ta'a Chume, who was temporarily watching the girl while her parents were traveling. Skywalker, recalling his past experiences with Ta'a Chume, decided to take Tenel Ka's friends to Hapes in the Shadow Chaser to visit her. Encountering Ta'a Chume, Luke was unsurprised to find that the older woman bluntly wanted Tenel Ka to immediately discontinue her Jedi training. Skywalker allowed Tenel Ka's friends to remain on Hapes with her while she recovered, but he had other pressing matters to attend to, so he left them at the Hapan Court to keep the Hapan heir company. After a series of assassination attempts during their stay on Hapes, Tenel Ka ultimately decided to return to Yavin 4 and complete her training as a Jedi Knight. She constructed a new lightsaber and continued her training, which pleased Skywalker, as did the progress his students had been making in learning the ways of the Force.[124]

Skywalker accompanied his friend Han Solo on a scouting run in the Outer Rim. To help maintain a low profile, both men disguised themselves and Solo's Millennium Falcon. Solo left Chewbacca to help keep an eye on Solo's twin and the two were off. By the time Skywalker returned from his mission, his Jedi trainees had already had their first clash with the Shadow Academy's Dark Jedi, including Zekk, on Kashyyyk.[125] In an effort to bolster the defenses, Skywalker had shield generators deployed to protect the Praxeum, along with increasing the ground combat training for the trainees. However, the Shadow Academy attacked the Jedi academy, quickly destroying its shield generators with a commando raid. Skywalker furthermore learned that their communications had been jammed, but he resolved to repulse the Imperial attack anyway, without reinforcements. To do this, he ordered his trainees to evacuate the Temple and meet the Imperials in the jungle, much as he had done during Daala's raid years ago.[126]

In the midst of the battle, Brakiss sent out a challenge to Skywalker, asking to meet him at the Temple of the Blueleaf Cluster. Skywalker agreed and the two met face to face. Each tried to persuade the other to join them, but both Skywalker's and Brakiss's efforts were in vain. With persuasion having failed, the two briefly dueled and Skywalker destroyed Brakiss's lightsaber, but the Dark Jedi escaped. Skywalker returned to the battle and was present at its conclusion when Zekk emerged, barring the way to the Great Temple. The rest of the Dark Jedi had already been defeated, but Zekk alone remained, as Brakiss had died when the Shadow Academy self-destructed. However, Jaina Solo volunteered to confront the Dark Jedi in hopes of redeeming him and Skywalker allowed her to do so. She was ultimately successful, and though the Temple had taken heavy damage, Skywalker saw the aftermath of the battle as an opportunity to start the rebuilding process. He also worked with Tionne in efforts to redeem the Dark Jedi that had been taken prisoner in the failed assault.[126]

Diversity Alliance

"I've long known that Chief of State Organa Solo was concerned about the agenda of the Diversity Alliance, but it is not for the New Republic to make judgments on what beliefs people should or should not hold.""I agree, but we must take action if an extremist group has kidnapped innocent hostages, taken slaves, and threatened to spread a plague so powerful it could wipe out an entire species."

Not long after the Second Imperium attack, Skywalker allowed Zekk to depart in the Lightning Rod, which Peckhum had given him. The troubled young man needed to find his own path, and Skywalker hoped the Force would give Zekk the guidance he would need. Meanwhile, the Solo twins, Lowbacca, and Tenel Ka went to the Graveyard of Alderaan in Tenel Ka's ship Rock Dragon to gather a birthday present for their mother. Though Boba Fett attacked them, the Jedi Knights managed to escape and return to Yavin 4 with the aid of Zekk, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, who chased off Fett. After the entire group returned to Yavin 4, Luke met up with Leia and Anakin Solo for a private birthday celebration for his sister.[127]

Skywalker frequently aided his students during their missions.

However, as Jedi trainee Raynar Thul's father, Bornan Thul, had disappeared, Skywalker was asked to personally escort Thul to his parent's fleet of trading vessels for his security. Skywalker allowed Thul's friends to accompany them on the Shadow Chaser while some of his other companions followed in the Rock Dragon. Skywalker delivered the young man to his relatives safely and returned to the Jedi academy, though Thul's friends were allowed to stay with him for a few days. Skywalker soon received a message informing him that his young Jedi Knights had gone searching for Bornan Thul on worlds across the galaxy.[128]

After Thul's and the other Jedi trainees' eventual return to Yavin 4, Skywalker was sent off an another mission for the New Republic. On his return, he brought Lusa, a Force-sensitive Chironian whom the Solo twins had met during their capture by Hethrir years earlier.[129] Not long afterwards, he met Zekk on the roof of the Great Temple. The former Jedi had turned to bounty hunting and had been searching for Bornan Thul, but now he needed Skywalker's aid. Zekk reported that Thul's disappearance was related to mysterious nonhuman organization known as the Diversity Alliance. The Diversity Alliance had been known for its hatred of humans, and while Lusa had previously deserted the group, Lowbacca had become affiliated with them recently. Furthermore, Jacen, Jaina, Raynar Thul, and Tenel Ka had gone off on a mission of their own to find Lowbacca and hadn't reported in. Zekk wanted Skywalker's aid in finding them and Skywalker took him to see Lusa, who would have knowledge of Diversity Alliance locations and strongholds. Skywalker found Lusa near the academy in a pool where she had been swimming until a Bothan working for the Diversity Alliance had attacked her, under orders not to allow escapees from the Diversity Alliance. She and the Bothan were fighting furiously until Skywalker intervened and used the Force to disarm and neutralize the would-be assassin. After Skywalker brought his prisoner and Lusa back to the academy, he explained that while he and Leia had been aware of the growing threat of the Diversity Alliance, they had kept their actions to low-profile investigative missions to avoid stirring up dissension between the species of the New Republic. Furthermore, Zekk told the Jedi Master about Nolaa Tarkona, the leader of the Diversity Alliance, and her plan to use the Emperor's Plague, a biological weapon that targeted only humans. Lusa revealed that the four missing Jedi trainees had gone to Ryloth, a Diversity Alliance stronghold, to search out Lowbacca and Skywalker, Lusa, and Zekk immediately departed in the Lightning Rod to find them.[130]

They arrived on Ryloth and disabled a pair of sentry ships to slip down to the surface. Skimming over Ryloth's hot side, they noticed a skirmish taking place on the ground. As it turned out, Jaina and Raynar Thul were under attack from Diversity Alliance henchmen. The Lightning Rod's laser cannons dealt with the attackers and Luke, Zekk, and Lusa rescued the two beleaguered Jedi trainees. With Luke and Zekk at the controls, the Lightning Rod raced through the atmosphere, pursued by Diversity Alliance ships, but Skywalker's piloting skills were such that he was able to dodge the hostile ships while Zekk returned fire. They linked up with the Rock Dragon, which contained Jacen, Tenel Ka, a prodigal Lowbacca, and a Twi'lek clan leader that Jacen and Tenel Ka had rescued. However, the younger Jedi Knights had all been injured, so Skywalker had both ships set course for Coruscant, where he explained the situation to the Solos and saw that the injured received appropriate medical attention.[130]

He was present for a special session of the Senate that Leia Organa Solo had called to address the issue of the Diversity Alliance. As a result, an investigative team was sent to Ryloth to search out the Diversity Alliance's activities there and Skywalker accompanied them, as did Lusa and Lowbacca and Jedi Knight Cilghal. Other members of the team included Lowbacca's sister Sirrakuk, also a former Diversity Alliance member, and New Republic senator Trubor, who doubted the Jedi's report. Their reception was less than warm, but Tarkona already left Ryloth and one of her henchmen, the Devaronian Kambrea remained behind to deal with the New Republic team. While most of the sites Kambrea showed them were innocuous of appearance, including the ryll mines where the four Jedi visitors had earlier been briefly enslaved, Sirrakuk found a cache of armaments disguised as medicine. A firefight broke out and while Skywalker was easily more than a match for any of the Diversity Alliance soldiers he faced, the New Republic team was greatly outnumbered. Eventually, though, after a New Republic Chadra-Fan senator was killed in the crossfire, the Twi'lek clan leader, Kur, was able to persuade the Diversity Alliance soldiers to surrender, as nonhumans were killing nonhumans. Meanwhile, several of Luke's Jedi trainees helped destroy the Imperial warehouse where numerous plagues were being stored, ending the threat of pathogenic terrorism. Nolaa Tarkona was infected by one of the plagues and died, crippling the Diversity Alliance's leadership and their fleet was destroyed by a New Republic armada under Han Solo. Lastly, as the Jedi trainees and Skywalker returned to Yavin Four, both Zekk and Lusa decided to remain at the Jedi academy and train to become Jedi Knights and Skywalker welcomed both of them.[94]

Return of Black Sun

"Challenge and diversity make us strong. Too much protection can prevent us from learning, from reaching our potential. We can learn from others, but we must also learn from our own experiences. . . and our own mistakes."

Following the defeat of the Diversity Alliance, Luke continued to reside on Yavin Four, training the new Jedi Order while some of his older graduates, such as Kyp Durron and Streen, were sent on missions of their own. Skywalker encouraged Zekk in his training to use the light side of the Force, suggesting that he find ways to train in something that he enjoyed, which led him and Tenel Ka to participate and win the Blockade Runners' Derby on Ord Mantell. Skywalker would also later dispatch Streen and Kyp Durron to aid Zekk, Tenel Ka, and the Solos in settling a civil war on Anobis.[131]

Upon their return from Anobis, Skywalker agreed, upon the recommendation of Han Solo, to let Anja Gallandro stay at the Yavin Four praxeum for some time. Though Gallandro was not Force-sensitive, she used a lightsaber when her coordination was enhanced by andris spice. Luke, though skeptical of her potential, allowed her to stay. He also permitted the Solo twins, Gallandro, Zekk, Lowbacca, and Tenel Ka to take a trip to Bespin with Lando Calrissian to visit the soon-to-be-opened SkyCenter Galleria, a theme park and entertainment complex that Calrissian had invested in, and the young Jedi Knights were able to foil a Black Sun scheme to take over the galleria.[132]

Later, during a visit by a spacer named Peckhum who had helped raise Zekk to Yavin Four, Gallandro decided to steal Zekk's ship, the Lightning Rod in order to find a way to fuel her andris addiction. In response to Zekk's angry response, Skywalker reminded him that it was Gallandro's choice to leave the academy and asked the trainees if they really wanted Gallandro arrested, as they had previously considered her a friend. They didn't, and Skywalker dispatched the same party that had gone to Bespin minus Gallandro in the Rock Dragon, Tenel Ka's ship, to find Gallandro. The episode was a mild bit of strife for Skywalker, who noted with satisfaction that the ranks of the Jedi Knights continued to swell. Little did he know that the Jedi apprentices he sent out would help thwart a grandiose power-grabbing scheme by Black Sun lieutenant Czethros, but he was impressed with the results, as the five trainees and a repentant Gallandro defeated Czethros before his plans could come to fruition. In fact, in the midst of the festivities that surrounded their return, Luke took each of the five young Jedi Knights aside and told them that they were rapidly approaching the status of full Jedi Knighthood and should consider their role in the galaxy.[133]

Holding off the invasion

"I had fought the worst of all wars, and witnessed the redemption of evil. I've seen balance restored to the Force. But order can turn to chaos… as it did when I was born. Now, with my loved ones and my loyal allies, I face a new challenge unlike any before. And I'm not sure if this time we can win."

In the years prior to the Yuuzhan Vong War, Skywalker continued to train Jedi, and spent some of his own time attempting to overcome the Force-blindness caused by Ysalamiri and to successfully cleave through cortosis ore with a lightsaber.[134] In 25 ABY, the New Jedi Order faced its greatest challenge to date. Without the governance of a Jedi Council, the new Jedi Knights lacked unity and focus. Many were accused of reckless vigilantism, and the Republic citizenry began to grow suspicious of their protectors. Worse came the Yuuzhan Vong, extragalactic alien invaders bent on conquest. The Jedi became the first line of defense for the Republic, but their failure to repulse the brutal aliens was widely reported.[135] Incidents like the Battle of Osarian[136] and the Battle of Ithor caused the Senate and the public to oppose the Jedi. Strangely, the Yuuzhan Vong did not exist in the Force, and thus the Jedi were robbed of their most powerful abilities against this new enemy. It raised fundamental problems for the Jedi, who wondered if the problem was with the Yuuzhan Vong, the Force, or the Jedi themselves. Luke was inclined to believe that the problem was with the Jedi, as his own training had been rushed.[137]

Early during the invasion the Yuuzhan Vong chose to attack the defenseless planet Artorias. Just as they were about to break into a hangar and kill the refugees, Luke arrived and defeated the Yuuzhan Vong allowing those in the hangar to escape. Luke than recruited the Prince of Artorias Finn Galfridian into the Jedi Order after noticing that he was Force-sensitive.[138]

During Galfridian's early training on Yavin IV, Luke prevented a Tuk'ata from attacking Galfridian, Jacen, Jaina and Anakin when the younger Jedi investigated the cave that it inhabited. In later discussion with Masters Kyp Durron and Lar Le'Ung he opposed the use of using Galfridian as a weapon against the Yuuzhan Vong, saying that Finn's training couldn't be rushed like his own was. However, when word came that the planet Rychel was being attacked, he decided that it would be beneficial to take Galfridian with him in order to see his reaction.[139] Skywalker, Master Le'Ung and Finn went to the planet Rychel and Luke fought off attacking warriors. During the battle Master Le'Ung was killed by a Yuuzahn Vong commander. While the evacuation ships were taking off, Luke witnessed a confrontation between Finn and the Yuuzahn Vong who killed Master Le'Ung. Although Finn had the opportunity to kill the warrior he chose instead to spare him in the hopes that he would learn compassion. Luke was proud of Finn and consoled him over the death of Le'Ung.[140]

The Yuuzhan Vong took specific interest in the Jedi, proclaiming them the worst of a galaxy full of infidels. After the Battle of Duro, which saw Jacen Solo defeat WarmasterTsavong Lah in a duel to rescue his mother, Lah announced that peace could be maintained if the galaxy would turn in every single Jedi to the Yuuzhan Vong.[141] Many in the New Republic began to turn against the Jedi in an effort to appease the Yuuzhan Vong and blunt their destructive invasion. Organizations such as the Peace Brigade betrayed the Order, and began rounding up Jedi captives for the invaders. The Yuuzhan Vong then destroyed the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, killing Master Ikrit and shaping Tahiri Veila in the process, which forced young Jedi initiates into exile.[142] It was as if the dark times of Palpatine's Empire had returned. Headstrong Jedi like Kyp Durron called for aggressive actions to counter the Yuuzhan Vong threat. Durron attracted a large number of Jedi candidates to work independently, a move which divided the Jedi Order deeply. Skywalker knew that fear and too aggressive a path would lead his Jedi to the dark side. Instead of an aggressive counteroffensive, Luke called for the help of Han and Leia, engineering an underground fugitive network, dubbed the Great River, and two secret havens called the Shelter and Eclipse Station, to protect the beleaguered Jedi Knights.[143]

Luke and Mara Jade with their newborn son, Ben

With his beloved wife affected by a Yuuzhan Vong-engineered disease, and his closest friends forever affected by the violence, Skywalker found that not even a Jedi Master could keep galactic events from striking close to his heart. During these war-ravaged years, Mara not only ultimately defeated her disease, but also became pregnant and gave birth to their son, Ben Skywalker. Keeping his newborn child safe became an important concern for Luke. Because of the growing dangers that the galaxy faced, Ben and many other children were sent to the Maw Installation.[143] Though Luke did this to protect his son, the act would cause Ben to distance himself from Luke and Mara.[144]

At the same time, the rise of anti-Jediism in the Senate reached the peak that forced Chief of State Borsk Fey'lya to issue a warrant for Luke and Mara's arrest. Despite Borsk's personal assurance that the arrest order was merely used to turn down an even more extreme proposal, it was clear that the Jedi were no longer welcome in the New Republic.[143]

Leading from the front

Mara: "Luke, I don't want to discourage your curiosity, but I have to remind you, if something goes wrong, this is an exceptionally embarrassing way to die."

Luke: "I'll trust you to improve the story. Luke Skywalker goes out in a blaze of glory in battle with a red devourer."

With their plan to capture every single Jedi having failed and with Kyp Durron having tricked the New Republic military to destroy a new worldship, the Yuuzhan Vong declared the truce broken.[143] Soon after came the voxyn threat, which proved even more lethal than the Peace Brigade. After conducting a vote on Eclipse Station, Luke approved the launch of the Mission to Myrkr. Meanwhile, in the Senate on Coruscant, the turning point of the Jedi came when Borsk Fey'lya openly pledged his home system to support the Jedi in order to counter Nom Anor's demand. At the same time, Luke successfully united Kyp Durron, Saba Sebatyne and their squadrons with the Jedi Order by promising that the Jedi would carry the war to the Yuuzhan Vong. Returning to the front line, Luke led half the Jedi and most of the Masters in the galaxy to rescue the hostages in Talfaglio's orbit. With the combined strength of Saber Squadron, Shocker Squadron, the Wild Knights, the Kyp's Dozen, and New Republic reinforcements, the Jedi swiftly defeated the Yuuzhan Vong fleet and rescued almost everyone, with the bonus of capturing a yammosk. Together with Borsk Fey'lya, Luke used the stunning victory to turn the tide against the anti-Jedi faction in the Senate and earn the New Republic military's official support and cooperation with Jedi activities.[145]

Luke disguised as a Yuuzhan Vong to search for Lord Nyax on Coruscant

After the fall of Reecee, Luke attempted to capture a living yammosk when Booster Terrik lured an enemy fleet to Eclipse Station. The plan failed, as Tsavong Lah had instructed his subordinates to destroy any yammosk which was threatened to fall into the Jedi's hands. Next, Luke led the Jedi to take part in a nine hundred ship task force which crippled the staging Yuuzhan Vong fleet in the Black Bantha Nebula and saw to the capture of a living yammosk.[145]

When the tide seemed to finally favor the Jedi, the Force once again shifted to nightmarish darkness with a series of developments: the death of Anakin Solo on Myrkr, the leak of Eclipse Station's coordinates, the fall of Coruscant, and the near-successful kidnapping of Ben by the Kuati traitor Viqi Shesh.[145]

Despite joining forces with General Wedge Antilles' Fleet Group Three, the Jedi were still hopelessly outnumbered by Tsavong Lah's invasion fleet. While the Jedi destroyed several enemy yammosks and Lah's flagship, the Sunulok, the Jedi starfighter wing also paid a heavy price. Both Luke and Mara, two of the most noted Jedi pilots in the galaxy, were shot down in their X-Wings when the couple attempted to recover the kidnapped Ben. When Lando and YVH 1-1A took over to recover the baby, Luke led Mara and Artoo to defend Coruscant with a surface turbolaser battery. The trio escaped the doomed Coruscant aboard the Falcon. Thankfully, Lando was able to rescue Ben and Threepio from Viqi Shesh, though the treacherous Kuati escaped.[145]

Accompanied by Wedge's fleet group, Luke founded and led Twin Suns Squadron in the recapture of Borleias. Together with his family and life-long friends, they founded the Insiders to counter the self-declared Chief of State Pwoe and his corrupted Advisory Council. Luke continued to serve the Borleias garrison, through both ground patrols against Yuuzhan Vong resistance forces and space missions as Twin Suns leader until he passed the squadron to Jaina for the needs of psychological warfare. At the same time, Luke had a disagreement with his wife over their roles in the Force, as Mara felt the maternal instinct to remain with Ben to protect him. A chilling vision of the dark side resolved the dispute and brought the Skywalker couple, together with Tahiri Veila, Danni Quee, and the Wraiths, to the heart of the Yuuzhan Vong-held Coruscant.[96] In the depths of the altered city planet, Luke and the others, disguised as Yuuzhan Vong, explored the Vongformed planet. Luke, persuading a devourer tank that he was not food, got the others access to a secret laboratory where they learned the source of the dark side premonitions Luke had received, though at the cost of his black outfit. Tahiri, and Luke and Mara Skywalker faced off against Lord Nyax, the deranged, mutated Dark Jedi who once was Irek Ismaren, pursuing him throughout the city as they tried to stop his plans to release a wellspring of Force energy. Surviving a massive Force battle at the site of the old Jedi Temple, Skywalker left Coruscant and returned to take over Blackmoon Squadron when Wedge launched Operation Emperor's Spear against former Warmaster Czulkang Lah.[146]

Reorganizing the New Republic and the Jedi Order

"It is my fault, because I emerged from the Rebellion cast as a warrior who had destroyed Death Stars, Darth Vader, and the Emperor himself. Later missions kept that myth alive. Given a choice between calling upon a bounty hunter or a Jedi, folks turned to the Jedi because we worked for free and are concerned about collateral damage."

After that, Skywalker concentrated his efforts on recreating the legendary Jedi Council. To do so, he had to enter the nebulous world of politics. Backing a pro-Jedi candidate, Skywalker saw Cal Omas elected Chief of State of the New Republic. Together, they formed the new High Council, which now included both Jedi representatives and members of the New Republic government. The first challenge in the world of politics was the crisis of Alpha Red, which could destroy every single Yuuzhan Vong life form if launched. Luke and his Jedi representatives prevented the motion from passing, but Cal Omas nevertheless ordered the project to move on. When Alpha Red was sabotaged by Vergere, an Old Republic Jedi who had spent decades among the Yuuzhan Vong, Luke realized the trust between him and Cal was lost.[147]

With Alpha Red out of the picture, Luke journeyed to meet the seasoned General Garm Bel Iblis, who had gone rogue after the fall of Coruscant. Together the pair led a formidable task force to reinforce the New Republic in the Battle of Ebaq. Luke coordinated the fleet with the Force meld technique, which greatly improved the performance of the New Republic forces. The battle ended with the death of Warmaster Tsavong Lah.[147]

While Luke and Mara were focused on keeping the galaxy safe for their son, they had not realized that Ben had cut himself off from the Force. After reflection, they were able to decipher that Ben could sense the pain, suffering, and emotions that they felt during the war. Worse, Mara had trouble finding Ben through the Force and feared the worst. This was a disturbing development that Luke and Mara did not know how to overcome.[143]

Finding Zonama Sekot

"To life we owe our compassion and our duty. But I wonder what we owe to something completely outside our definition of life, to something that is a kind of living death. I wonder if we must owe them anything but a real death?"

With the New Republic safely transformed into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, Luke felt safe to leave the government and seek the solution of the war. Armed with important information from Vergere, Skywalker led a group of Jedi to journey to the depths of the Unknown Regions, seeking to find the key to victory against the alien invaders. Before reaching their destination, the group was able to persuade the Imperial Remnant to join the Galactic Alliance after the fall of Bastion.[148] Afterward, the group journeyed to Csilla, the capital planet of the Chiss Ascendancy. There, they foiled the assassination attempt on former Imperial BaronSoontir Fel and earned the help of the Chiss.[149] Armed with reliable data from the Expeditionary Library, Luke and his group finally reached the living world Zonama Sekot, where he persuaded the living intelligence of the planet, Sekot, to help defeat the Yuuzhan Vong.[150] They also learned the truth about the Yuuzhan Vong's absence: the problem was not the Force or the Jedi, but with the Yuuzhan Vong, who had been stripped of the Force.

As Zonama Sekot traveled back to known space despite Nom Anor's sabotage, Luke formed a plan based on the intelligence of the showdown between the Galactic Alliance and the Yuuzhan Vong in Mon Calamari. Zonama Sekot directly jumped to the Coruscant system, causing great confusion and chaos among the Yuuzhan Vong, triggering the heretics to revolt, and Zonama's gravitational pull slowly dragged Coruscant back to its original orbit. Disturbed, Warmaster Nas Choka recalled his fleets back to Yuuzhan'tar.[12]

Luke and other High Council Jedi members traveled to Contruum, and attempted to talk the Alliance leaders out of assaulting Coruscant. Refused, the Alliance leaders wrote Zonama Sekot out of their concern and left the planet for the Jedi to deal with. Luke returned to Zonama Sekot and mustered the Jedi to deal with the crisis. Part of the Jedi would protect Zonama Sekot, some would serve on Alliance capital ships, while Luke led Mara, the Solo twins, Tahiri, and Kenth Hamner to infiltrate Shimrra's Citadel.[12]

Ending the war

Mara: "You promised me on Zonama Sekot that both of us have a lot more living to do."

Luke: "You think I'd drop you into the midst of all this to make you a widow—or me a widower?"

The Recapture of Coruscant had begun. Luke and the Solo twins fought through the Sacred Precinct, and the team entered the Citadel with Jacen's help. There, Luke led the assault to the top level, slaying warrior after warrior. The Jedi Master became a calm maelstrom of Force energy, surrendering his individual personality to the Force and becoming the embodiment of its will. Neither Jaina nor Jacen were able to perceive their Uncle as he moved faster then even their Jedi senses could follow, calmly ripping through scores of elite Yuuzhan Vong warriors as Luke Skywalker's massive power was unleashed. In Shimrra's chamber, Luke and the Solo twins killed several Slayers guarding the Supreme Overlord. Embracing the Unifying Force, Luke used his unique green Electric Judgment for the first time on a Slayer to save Jacen. While Jaina pursued the fleeing Onimi, Shimrra Jamaane knocked out Jacen and engaged the Jedi Master. Struggling against the giant Shimrra, Luke failed to leap out of Shimrra's attacking range while Shimrra's Scepter of Power wrapped itself around Luke. As Luke held back the amphistaff, Shimrra deflected Jacen's saber throw and attempted to slay Luke with Anakin Solo's lightsaber. Luke released his hold on the Scepter to push away Shimrra's wrist and was bitten by the staff. When Shimrra prepared to strike the death blow, Luke Force pulled Anakin's lightsaber into his hand, slashed the amphistaff into pieces with his own blade, and beheaded Shimrra with the cross of the lightsabers.[12]

Unable to fight anymore, Luke sent Jacen to rescue Jaina. Fortunately, after the battle, his nephew Jacen was able to concoct an antidote by manipulating his own tears. Luke then played a key role in the Sekot Accords, convincing Nas Choka and the Yuuzhan Vong to surrender and live a peaceful life on Zonama Sekot. Gathering all the Jedi that had survived the war, Skywalker explained to them a new path for the Order: their role was to embrace the Force completely and serve its will wherever it would guide them.[12]

Acting on the advice of Kam Solusar, Luke Skywalker established a new Jedi Academy on Ossus, where he continued to train young Jedi in the ways of the Force.[144] A few years later, more Jedi candidates, including his son, would attend the Jedi Praxeum on Ossus.[151]

Strife within the Order (30–40 ABY)

Role of the Jedi Order

"I don't propose that we place ourselves in seclusion and pass our days meditating on the Force—though that might be the path for some of us. But I do advocate attuning ourselves to the longer view, and reaching out to others who seek to serve the Force."

Around 30 ABY, after the end of the war, the Jedi started to change. Internal struggle and the Galactic Alliance proved to be a constant source of discontent within the Order. Nowhere was this more evident than on the Masters' Council.[144]

One group, led by Kyp Durron and Mara Jade Skywalker, asserted that the Jedi were not responsible for the protection of the Galactic Alliance by mandate; rather, that the Jedi had to take a larger view of galactic affairs to avoid getting tangled in the internal politics of the Alliance, as had happened in the Old Republic.[144]

The other faction, led by Kenth Hamner and Corran Horn, believed that the Jedi Order owed the Galactic Alliance their full and unwavering attention, due to the fact that it was the Galactic Alliance that financed the Order, and was also responsible for giving the Order a new Jedi Temple. This faction believed that because of the Alliance-Jedi High Council, which ruled the Alliance, the Jedi were irrevocably tied to the Galactic Alliance.[144]

These tensions were nominally smoothed by the first-among-equals leader of the Jedi, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Under his leadership, he tamed the tempers of even the brashest and loudest of the Jedi, but, as he would later reflect, he made the almost fatal error of not providing a power structure within the Order. All these things would manifest themselves in the Dark Nest Crisis[144] and the Swarm War.[152]

Mysterious attackers

"The Force may not have a Light or Dark Side—but we do… and we must choose."

In 35 ABY, after a Force-call for help originating from the presumably lost Jedi Knight Raynar Thul, the Nightsister Lomi Plo, and the Dark Jedi Welk, was heard and answered by all the Myrkr strike team survivors except Tenel Ka, Killik nests started building up along the Chiss border, aided by the Jedi who had answered the call. The Myrkr strike team survivors had, like the three presumed-missing Force-sensitives, become Joiners into various Killik nests. Aristocra Mitt'swe'kleoni, alarmed and outraged, demanded an explanation from Chief of State Omas, who led him to Luke. Mitt'swe'kleoni was apparently convinced that the missing Jedi had gone rogue, while Cal Omas demanded that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker personally bring the Jedi back and stop the killing.[144]

In response to this turn of events, Luke, Mara, and Saba traveled to the Lizilnest on the Jade Shadow, and were greeted by five hundred dartships, while the Solo couple also rushed to the Lizil nest after receiving the news from Kyp. Using the Force, Luke tried to gain the locals' cooperation, however, a strange presence in the Force always interfered with his efforts. Later, with the help of Jae Juun and Tarfang, the Jedi learned the basic idea of Joiners and traveled to Yoggoy.[144]

UnuThul greeted the group in Yoggoy hangar with a masterful display of his current Force power. In the Prime Chamber, UnuThul used "we" to address himself, stating Raynar Thul no longer existed and "they" were now UnuThul. Luke insisted that he sensed Raynar's presence in UnuThul, and guessed Raynar might be in hiding. Raynar then guided the Jedi to read the Chronicle on the wall, explaining the transformation of Raynar Thul to UnuThul, and the rise of the Unu nest.[144]

Over the course of the interview, Luke sensed that Raynar's presence rose repeatedly to the surface but was swallowed by the presence of the hive mind. UnuThul claimed that since the Killiks remembered the Crash, but not the Dark Jedi, the Dark Jedi must be dead. When Luke tried to probe UnuThul again, the hive mind was able to powerfully push Luke out. When Mara demanded to know the location of the missing Jedi, UnuThul suddenly assaulted Luke's mind with such power that the combined strength of Luke, Mara, Saba, and Leia was required to stop him.[144]

Still refusing to surrender the location of Qoribu, UnuThul stated that anyone could leave whenever they wanted, and decided to assign a Yoggoy guide to escort the Jedi back to Lizil. Luke refused and insisted on performing a private investigation. UnuThul then debated with Luke about the political standing of the New Jedi Order and their new view of the Force.[144]

Luke and his companions soon realized that such a collective mind allowed UnuThul to spy on them almost any time and anywhere on Yoggoy. They visited the crash site, Dark blue insects attempted to assassinate the group there. The Solos, Skywalkers, and Saba barely escaped with Nanna, killing several blue insects in the process. However, the Yoggoy guide that accompanied them denied ever seeing any blue insects before its death. When they traveled back to the hangar, Han and UnuThul exchanged harsh words about the attempted assassination. As the debate became a stalemate, Luke proposed that it was another party who attempted to assassinate them, but UnuThul insisted that even if someone else had attacked them, the hive mind would be aware.[144]

Meanwhile, the joined Jedi battled against Chiss forces over Qoribu's orbit, and Lowbacca went EV. When the Masters reached Qoribu, the Shadow was attacked by mysterious dartships, which were fooled by Luke's illusions. After an intense interview, Masters Luke, Saba, and Mara requested the younger Jedi return to Coruscant. The joined Jedi agreed on the conditions that Lowbacca would be rescued and that a Master would stay on Qoribu to monitor the conflict. However, unbeknownst to his parents, while returning home on the Shadow, Ben Skywalker secretly stowed away a Killik from the Gorog nest.[144]

Dark Nest Crisis

"I've meditated at length. I've concluded how we respond to a crisis—the one we're in now or any other—is far less important than responding to it together. Even with the Force to guide us, we will still make mistakes. We still are mortal."

Once Luke had returned, Cal Omas demanded the Jedi recall the rogue Jedi and Hapan fleet; otherwise the Alliance would stop financing the Order. Open debate broke out in the Masters' Council right in front of Omas. Leia proposed moving the nests on Qoribu to a new system the Solos had discovered on the condition that Borao would be given to the Ithorians. The Jedi mounted an assault against the Dark Nest by allowing Alema to escape Ossus with Gorog, leading the Jedi to Kr.[144]

Concerned about the Colony's plot for the upcoming battle, Jaina reached into the Force and warned Jagged about the Colony ambush. Meanwhile, Luke led a team of Jedi to neutralize the Dark Nest on Kr. The Skywalker couple infiltrated the Dark Nest in StealthXs but were shot down and ambushed. In high orbit, the Battle of Qoribu broke out, as neither the Chiss nor the Hapans would trust the claim of the Solos, each fearing that the Solos were agents of the opposite party. Despite all the crossfire, the Falcon landed on Kr and stormed the Dark Nest to reinforce the Skywalkers.[144]

As Jaina and Zekk attempted to rescue Lowbacca, Alema and Dark Nest warriors ambushed the combined force of the Skywalkers, Solos, Saba, Kyp, Kyle Katarn, Octa Ramis and YVH 5 Bugcruncher war droids. As the orbital battle rapidly turned into a stalemate, on Kr the battle intensified as Luke and Mara dueled with Alema, Welk, and the Gorog assassin in turn. The fighting darkened as the Skywalkers used Force Choke and Force lightning against their enemies. A mysterious attacker drew away the power cells of the Jedi lightsabers and blasters, and slowed down Luke's motions. Although convinced that it was Lomi Plo, Luke and Mara could not find her. Then, Luke realized that although the Force itself might have no light or darkness, the Force-users do, and thus they must choose the right path. In the end, Mara defeated the Gorog assassin, and Luke slew Welk with his own lightsaber, although Luke sustained a minor leg injury. However, Alema Rar, injured, fled the battlefield.[144]

The battle saw the apparent destruction of the Dark Nest. With the help of the Solos and Saba, the Jedi were able to twist the truth a little bit for the mentally unstable UnuThul. Although full-scale war between the Killiks and the Chiss was averted with the signing of the Qoribu Truce, the peace would not last long.[144]

Jedi Grand Master and the Swarm War

"There are times when the end justifies the means. But when you build an argument based on a whole series of such times, you may find that you've constructed an entire philosophy of evil."

For a year, the Killiks kept a low profile in the galaxy, but in actuality they were gathering for war. The nests were still under the sway of the Dark Nest, Lomi Plo having survived the Second Battle of Qoribu. UnuThul, under the influence of the Dark Nest, was enraged at a natural calamity, which he blamed on the Galactic Alliance. The "Fizz", a deadly white substance that ate anything not naturally occurring in the planets that the Killiks were given, was killing hundreds of Killiks each day. Because of this, the Killiks, under the influence of the Gorog, were again expanding their nests against the space of the Chiss Ascendancy.[152]

Luke, Leia, and Han were again brought before UnuThul, this time as presumed enemies. Leia, now a Jedi Knight, was able to calm UnuThul, but he still did not trust them. This mistrust would eventually lead him to hold Luke Skywalker and Han Solo (along with C-3PO and R2-D2) captive in attempts to get them to join into the Killik nest, which would enable him to learn their secrets. A rescue mission was hatched by Organa Solo and several Jedi, but Luke and Han had an escape plan of their own. With the assistance of Jae Juun and Tarfang, the duo escaped on the DR919a. However, they quickly discovered that the Killik nests were also fleeing the Utegetu Nebula, in massive nest ships. Some of these ships escaped a blockade set up by the Alliance, but the Gorog Hive ship was trapped. Luke and his companions landed on the Gorog ship in an attempt to destroy their dark influence. After fierce fighting, Luke was cornered by Lomi Plo herself and dueled her. Plo eventually managed to escape, after a fierce fight, despite her nearly successful attempt at killing Luke. The Killik fleets escaped, and engaged the Chiss. The Swarm War had begun.[152]

Luke Skywalker immediately returned to the Jedi Academy on Ossus. He granted himself the title of Jedi Grand Master and assumed full control of the Jedi Order, in hopes of uniting the Masters to overcome their differences. He told his Jedi Order that if they did not place the Jedi first in their lives, they should leave the Order.[151]

After his speech, he finally discovered how his mother died when he made R2-D2 show him the hologram of his father Force-choking her. Luke, shocked at that revelation, later went with Jacen, Mara, Kyle Katarn, and others to the Gorog nest ship in the Utegetu Nebula to find and kill Lomi Plo. He nearly succeeded in killing Lomi Plo, but Lomi got away just before they severely damaged the nest ship. During the aforementioned battle, Jacen Solo and Mara Jade Skywalker were severely injured by Lomi Plo and, during their recovery, Jacen made Luke confront his doubt about his mother's death, saying that only when Luke could remove all doubt from his mind could he defeat Lomi Plo. Later, Luke fought against Lomi Plo and Raynar alone, against the wishes of his wife and nephew. He killed Lomi Plo, taking back his original lightsaber that was confiscated by Raynar and brought Raynar back to the Galactic Alliance, albeit under heavy sedation, and proved Jacen wrong by rejecting the dark side of the Force completely. After the Swarm War ended, he dissolved the Jedi's role in the Galactic Alliance High Council on Coruscant, in favor of a new ruling Jedi Council, whose opinions and advice would be relayed to the Chief of State. In addition, the unorthodox view of the Force as adopted by the Jedi after the Yuuzhan Vong War seemed to be losing strength and the more orthodox view of light and dark started to take hold once more. After this, Luke continued to lead the Jedi Order, and, along with his wife Mara, raised his son Ben.[151]

Second Galactic Civil War (40 ABY–41 ABY)

Rising tensions

"It's coming to me through currents in the Force, he's all wrapped up in shadows… he brings great pain to the galaxy, and me."

In 40 ABY, Luke began to have visionary dreams of a dark, shadowy figure that, at the time didn't "exist". While most of its face was in shadow, its features reminded Luke of Anakin Skywalker, and it behaved malevolently to Luke and his family.[153]

Grand Master Skywalker of the New Jedi Order

Also around this time, tensions flared between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia. Feeling something was wrong, Luke sent his son and nephew to Adumar to investigate. However, Ben and Jacen did indeed discover an illegal missile factory and barely escaped with their lives. This event sparked Corellia's rebellion against the Galactic Alliance. Luke, Mara, Jacen and Jaina took the side of the Alliance, while Leia and Han adopted the point of view of the Corellians. These tense times led Luke, Mara, and Jaina to serve the Alliance in the Battle of Tralus, where Luke served as the Hardpoint Squadron's leader. He participated in the mission to kidnap Aidel Saxan, the Prime Minister, by retrieving and escorting Jaina's and Tahiri's team to safety. However, while the Galactic Alliance succeeded in disabling Centerpoint Station (which the Corellians were planning to reactivate), the kidnapping of Saxan was foiled.[153]

Following these first victories and losses, the Galactic Alliance and the Corellians attempted negotiations with each other. Choosing Toryaz Station as a neutral site to hold talks, Supreme Commander Pellaeon represented the Alliance and Prime Minister Saxan represented the Corellians. Many members of both factions, including Luke and Mara, also attended. After the first day of talks, it seemed hopeful that a truce would be made and the war would end before it could escalate. However, Lumiya, the Sith who Luke believed was long dead, brainwashed several commandos of Toryaz Station's security forces and had them target a number of members from both delegations, Luke among them. While he and the other Jedi managed to fend off their attackers, Prime Minister Saxan was among the casualties.[153]

After the incident on Toryaz Station, Luke and his wife infiltrated Corellia by acting as impersonators of themselves, with Luke Skywalker assuming the name "Emerek Tovall." Later, they met with Corran Horn at a secret Jedi Installation, and he decided to evacuate some Jedi children from the planet. After that, he left for Coruscant. After returning to the capital, Luke encountered a Force phantom of Jacen in the middle of the night. He fought off the Phantom, not realizing that it was in fact the real Jacen Solo, who was across the galaxy near Bimmiel. Mara faced a similar phantom of Ben. When Jacen agreed to accept the teachings of Lumiya, Luke could sense that the shadowy figure of his dreams was beginning to "exist".[153]

The Dark Shadow

After Jacen fully embraced the dark side, Luke's visions of the shadow person became worse and he knew it had something to do with Jacen. Luke began to worry about Ben's safety and completely distrusted Jacen. As he continued to watch Jacen, Luke decided that Ben would have to be taken away from Jacen and be given a new master. Mara, however, believed that Jacen was perfect for Ben and that Luke should trust Jacen, because he opened Ben to the Force when they couldn't. To make matters worse, Ben joined the Galactic Alliance Guard, much to Luke's and the other Jedi Masters' dismay. As a test, Jacen brought Lumiya before Luke in order to find her true intentions. Unbeknownst to Jacen, Luke eventually did sense Lumiya and believed her to be the dark figure in his dreams. In a discussion between Luke and his niece Jaina after her suspension from duty, it became painfully obvious to both of them that Jacen was falling to the dark side and Jaina suggested that Ben be removed from Jacen's tutelage.[154]

The battle between Luke Skywalker and Lumiya with Leia fighting Alema Rar

As the war continued, Luke requested his son Ben to duel him. This was a test for Ben to force Luke to activate his lightsaber, which later was shown to have no power cell. Luke wanted to discover if Ben was becoming corrupted toward the dark side by Jacen, but couldn't find any evidence. Worried about Lumiya's interest in their son, Luke and Mara decided to look for her, hoping to stop her before she inflicted serious damage. On their search, they were summoned by detectives to look at Tresina Lobi's corpse in Fellowship Plaza, whom Luke had told to follow Ben and Jacen. At the crime scene, they found a holocube that eventually brought them to Lumiya's apartment. In the apartment, Mara and Luke found evidence that linked Lumiya to the killing of Bothans. Distraught at their findings, Mara decided that Ben had to be taken away from Jacen.[155]

Luke and Mara then journeyed to Hapes, trying to retrieve Ben from the Anakin Solo to keep him away from Jacen. Finding him gone, Luke and Mara did meet with Tenel Ka and Jacen, and were given a rendezvous point to meet with their son. After landing at the rendezvous point where Jacen had said Ben would meet them, Luke and Mara were attacked by Lumiya and Alema Rar. While Luke dealt with Lumiya, Mara dueled Alema Rar when she nearly killed Mara with a dart. In the duel, Luke was severely injured while fighting Lumiya, but Mara defeated Alema, knocking her unconscious, where she discovered the bomb attached to Alema. Returning to see Luke shoot Lumiya five times, Mara informed him of the bomb and pulled him to safety. Luke and Mara saw this as a trap orchestrated by Jacen and both became concerned about their and Ben's safety and seriously considered that Jacen was falling to the dark side and possibly becoming a Sith Lord. Their fear and suspicions deepened after Jacen opened fire with the Anakin Solo's turbolasers upon his own parents. Meeting up with the family, except Han and Leia, Jacen allowed Luke to take Ben away to be cautious. Luke, Mara, and Ben then returned to Coruscant.[155]

Luke and Mara eventually held a meeting with Jagged Fel at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Shortly before the meeting ended, Fel entrusted Luke with a special device which was essential to the capture of Alema Rar. During a Council meeting the possibility of exiling Leia from the Order, something Luke refused to do, also during the meeting Luke asked all the members of the Council to make a list of senior Jedi Knights they thought deserved to be elevated to the rank of Jedi Master, a request that all members of the Council agreed to. In addition, Luke and Mara continued to search for Lumiya's lair. Luke would later learn of Lumiya's survival from their duel on Roqoo Depot and confronted her again. Lumiya offered to surrender to him, but Luke was skeptical. Finally, Lumiya just deactivated her whip and offered to Luke that he could kill her at any time that he wanted, though he did not do so. Their confrontation was interrupted by the crashing of a freighter into the station they were on.[156]

The pain of loss

"Ever since Mom was killed, you've been like someone with a landspeeder resting on his back. Crushed flat, hardly able to move because of the pain."

Luke suffered many losses over the years, but the greatest was surely the death of his wife, a death with grievances unmatched since Anakin Solo's heroic self-sacrifice. Believing Lumiya to be responsible, Luke fought the Sith Lady, decapitating her in one glorious final duel on Terephon. However, the true murderer was someone he would have never expected—his own nephew, Jacen Solo, now the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. Luke, however, was unaware of this and though the evidence absolved Lumiya, the Grand Master turned toward Alema Rar as the likely culprit.[157]
Luke was present at the funeral of his wife, where Leia Organa Solo was to eulogize her fallen sister-in-law. However, Leia was delayed by a squad of GAG troopers that Jacen had sent to detain them. Instead, Saba Sebatyne delivered the eulogy, using points of Mara's history to verbally sting Jacen Solo, who had arrived late. Jacen tried to make up with Luke, and Luke was somewhat willing to reconcile with his errant nephew, even committing the Jedi to the Battle of Kuat in their StealthXs.[13]

However, while they were waiting to launch their strike, the other Masters told Luke of how deep their suspicion and distrust of Jacen ran, and also that he had apparently ordered Ben to kill Cal Omas. Luke entered Jacen's private room on the Anakin Solo and immobilized him with the Force, furious at his conduct. Jacen, on the other hand, warned Luke of the apprentices that he had carefully held hostage on Ossus with a GAG battalion. Luke considered taking on Jacen right then and there, but left to return to his craft, stating that they would take up the matter later. However, instead of following the battle plan, Luke and the other Jedi took flight and left for Kashyyyk, where they convinced the Wookiees to not join the Galactic Alliance's warmongering.[13]

Luke attending his wife's funeral

Jacen quickly learned of Luke's deception and pursued him to Kashyyyk with the Fifth Fleet, while ordering his GAG troops to kill the Jedi on Ossus. On Kashyyyk, Luke met up with Han and Leia Solo, while Jaina, Zekk, and Jag dealt with the GAG battalion. Jaina would later join Luke on Kashyyyk, but the Fifth Fleet arrived shortly afterwards. The Anakin Solo, on Jacen's orders, began to bombard Kashyyyk, and Luke, Jaina, and the other took off in StealthXs. Luke planned a run on the Anakin Solo to kill Jacen with a shadow bomb, but Jacen interfered in his own StealthX. While trying to shoot him off Luke's tail, Jaina's lasers hit Luke and destroyed his X-wing, which then rammed into the Star Destroyer. Dismayed by the loss of the Jedi Master to them, the Jedi returned to Kashyyyk.[13]

However, Luke was not dead. In fact, he had faked his death in order to sneak onboard the Anakin Solo to disable its weapons and rescue Ben, who had imprisoned by Jacen after he tried to assassinate him. After Luke disabled the turbolasers, he revealed himself in the Force, but only to Ben, so that he could track him. Entering the room, he found Ben strapped to the Embrace of Pain with Jacen next to him. Enraged that his nephew would do something as horrific as torturing Ben, Luke attacked Jacen, slicing his kidney in the first stroke. The battle then continued into a very physical fight, with both opponents making liberal use of Force techniques, unarmed combat moves such as elbows and kicks, as well as their lightsabers. Jacen threw a bed of thorns onto Luke, but he sliced through it and sent Jacen into a cluster of tangling vines, trapping the Sith. At that point, Ben sliced his way free of the vines, declaring that it "was his right" to kill Jacen. Luke stopped him from doing so, saying it would lead him to the dark side, but Jacen broke free and began to strangle Luke with a vine. Luke struggled against the chokehold, but it was finally broken when Ben rammed a vibrodagger between Jacen's shoulder blades. Luke realized that they were both in no emotional state to deal with the Sith Lord once and for all, and the two fled the Anakin Solo, leaving Jacen sorely wounded but still alive.[13]

After escaping, Luke and Ben returned to Kashyyyk so they both could heal and recover. A Confederacy fleet had pounded the Fifth Fleet until it withdrew thanks to Jacen's and Alema Rar's battle meditation, so Kashyyyk was free from threat. Luke then withdrew the Jedi Order from the conflict, saying that they would neither side with the Galactic Alliance or the Confederacy.[13]

Luke later resettled the Jedi Order temporarily on the Forest Moon of Endor in an old Imperial base. He officially took his son Ben as his apprentice, allowing Ben to participate in highest-level Jedi affairs. It was here that Luke instructed Kyp Durron to plan a false-assassination attempt on Jacen to disguise the real plan of planting a tracking device on him. While Skywalker was asked to lead the mission, he refused, stating that Kyle Katarn should lead instead. The plan was carried out by Katarn and was successful, though it resulted in the death of the Jedi Thann Mithric and near-fatal wounding of Kyle Katarn. From this point, the Jedi Masters would attack Jacen in multiple numbers. The Jedi would later arrive in the Corellian system, where Solo was planning on engaging the Corellians for control of Centerpoint Station, in an attempt to destroy Jacen. Luke, Kyp, and Corran Horn nearly succeeded in shooting down Jacen in a dogfight in space, but Luke called off the attack when he sensed the presence of a little girl in the fighter with his malevolent nephew. Jacen, however, believed that his Uncle had been scared off by the fire of Syal Antilles, who he then promoted.[8]

Luke soon learned from Ben that Alema had been killed by Zekk and Jaina, supposedly allowing his wife to live in peace. But his son guessed that he would want to be dead, to be with his wife. However, it was not his time, and Ben convinced him to continue on living.[8]

After a visit from Tenel Ka Djo, Luke learned of her daughter Allana's kidnapping and determined that the little girl he felt must have been the Hapan Princess, who he did not know was his grandniece. Luke devised a plan to get onboard the Anakin Solo and rescue the girl. The plan involved holding General Tycho Celchu, who had arrived as a diplomatic emissary from Chief of State Cha Niathal, semi-hostage and using Celchu's clearance to land onboard with his son Ben, Saba, Leia, Han, and Iella Antilles along. While Luke, Saba, and Ben created a diversion of moving to attack Jacen, Leia, Han and Iella crept through the ship air ducts to a secret room they had discovered in the Anakin Solo's blueprints, surmising that that was where Allana was being held. The mission was a success, and though Saba was wounded, all escaped with the girl.[8]

Endgame

"Every future that begins with me going after Caedus ends in darkness. I know I'm the only one who can be sure of stopping him, but no matter how I envisage it, it always leads to darkness."

Luke continued to lead the Order even as they hid from Jacen, biding their time for the proper way to deal with the threat of the Sith. His son Ben went to investigate Mara's death on Kavan, while Luke took a StealthX to a secret meeting near N'zoth with Galactic Alliance Chief of State and Admiral Cha Niathal. Niathal indicated that she would support Jacen's removal and feed Skywalker intelligence on Jacen's activities. A later communique from Niathal regarding Jacen's plans for laying mines around Fondor led Luke to discreetly pass on the information to the Fondorian government, which destroyed the five Nonvideor-class minelayers that had been dispatched. In their correspondence, Luke advised Niathal that Ben was working with a Coruscant Security Force and GAG member named Lon Shevu to investigate Mara's death, and Niathal promised to help them discreetly.[158]

The news also led Luke to take a large contingent of Jedi to Fondor while leaving Ben at Endor to keep an eye on things and help supervise the transfer of the Jedi from Endor to another haven. While Caedus was flying a brief reconnaissance mission in his StealthX prior to engaging Fondor, Luke stealthily attacked Jacen's fighter with his own StealthX after luring him out with a phantom fleet generated by a Fallanassi illusion. With the aid of two other StealthX's, Luke and the other Jedi nearly succeeded in capturing Jacen wholesale in his fighter, but the Sith Lord's willingness to undertake risky maneuvers and jeopardize innocents by diving through a cargo transfer tunnel caused Luke and the other Jedi to back off, biding their time until later.[158]

Luke during the Battle of Kashyyyk

During the battle, Luke and the other Jedi used their illusory skills to conceal the Fondorian fleet and also protected as many civilians in the orbital cities as possible. With the arrival of numerous Imperial fleets and the separation of Cha Niathal from Solo, Skywalker took the Jedi and left and the battle turned out to be the breaking point between Niathal and Caedus, as well as marking the full entry of the Imperial Remnant into the war.[158]

Upon his return, Luke was called into a conference along with Han and Leia by Ben to present conclusive physical and recorded evidence that Jacen Solo had in fact killed Mara Jade Skywalker. Luke was proud of Ben for the methodical, rational way in which he had obtained his proof, and determined to not stop fighting until Darth Caedus was ultimately defeated. After the battle, Luke was visited by Mara's Force ghost in his sleep, which brought him comfort, as his wife had already appeared to Ben and aided him in his investigation.[158]

Skywalker then moved the Jedi Order to a new refuge on Shedu Maad, which was located near the Transitory Mists of the Hapes Cluster. While there, he presided over a meeting of the Masters Council, though Leia, Han, Jaina, and Jagged Fel were also present. During the meeting, Jaina proposed that she undertake a mission to eliminate the threat Caedus posed. After she was questioned about her motives and determination, Luke supported her idea, saying that the Masters Council had already debated and agreed to her plan before it was proposed. He then went on to say that while he was sure he could defeat Caedus, he didn't see any possible future where the duel didn't drive him to the dark side. Skywalker felt that his slaying of Lumiya had already tainted him with vengeance and he refused to keep treading that path. Instead, he supported Jaina's plan and sent her, her parents, and Ben to Coruscant to gather intelligence from Lon Shevu about the location of Caedus. For his part, Luke began interfering with Caedus's meditations, altering his visions of the future to focus the Sith's attention on Luke in order to hide the fact that Jaina was coming after him.[159]

However, upon the return of the team, the three Solos regretfully informed Luke that Ben had been captured. Luke, though saddened, told them that he had foreseen it, and it had been unavoidable if Jaina's plan was to be kept secret from Caedus. Instead, his own efforts had been successful, as Caedus was convinced that a very angry Luke Skywalker would be coming after him, bent on avenging his fallen wife. Ben later escaped from captivity and made his way back to the Jedi with the aid of some Hapans. Ben reported that Caedus was at Nickel One, where Jaina had previously aided the Mandalorians in a failed defense against Imperial Remnant forces. In response, Skywalker led a wave of Jedi StealthXs and blastboats against the Remnant forces there as a cover for Jaina's insertion. The Sword of the Jedi was placed into a dropsuit and prepared for launch from a blastboat, which was crewed by Han, Luke, Leia, and Saba Sebatyne. The battle also saw the arrival of the Mandalorians, which Skywalker had foreseen. Luke persuaded the Mandalorians to fly cover for the Jedi assault on the asteroid facility on Nickel One where Caedus was and Fett reluctantly agreed. The Mandalorians suffered heavy casualties in the raid, but Skywalker was unconcerned, as the Mandalorians had previously rejected Jedi offers to join forces. Instead, he concentrated all of his power on deceiving Caedus, to the point where Caedus thought he was dueling Luke instead of Jaina. When he did this, Skywalker dropped into a trance state, unresponsive to anything else. Though Jaina was unable to kill Caedus, Luke set the blastboat down on the asteroid under heavy fire, waiting to pick her up when she emerged. Jaina was eventually brought back to the blastboat, severely injured, and the Jedi withdrew.[159]

Back at Shedu Maad, Luke continued to make preparations for a second strike on Caedus while Jaina healed. When she asked him to teach her the shatterpoint skill, he did so, but also noticed that Caedus had left a blood trail on her, allowing the Sith to find their location. Preparations were hastily made to evacuate Shedu Maad, but the arrival of the Hapan fleet under Tenel Ka changed things. The evacuation continued, but the combined Jedi and Hapan forces set up a trap for Caedus, who arrived with a sizable fleet intent on attacking the refuge. Luke had Jaina and Zekk fly a pair of StealthXs as lures for Caedus to draw him into a narrow part of the Mists, then hit the Sith's fleet with a wing of StealthXs while he flew a Bes'uliik fighter Jaina had obtained from the Mandalorians. The fighter was much more visible than a StealthX, as Luke intended for Caedus to think he was headed straight for him to distract him from Jaina. In a series of attack runs, the Jedi fighters inflicted heavy damage on the Anakin Solo and Jaina was successfully inserted into Caedus's flagship while Skywalker continued to lead the Jedi forces in battle alongside the Hapans against Caedus's fleet.[159]

Jaina eventually slew Caedus after a protracted duel on the Anakin Solo, and Luke then led a sizable Jedi boarding team onto the flagship to capture the Imperial moffs, who were aboard. With a dozen Masters and fifty Jedi Knights, Skywalker's Jedi quickly swept through the ship, cutting down any resistance, while Han, Leia, and Jag went to find a once more severely injured Jaina. Skywalker and the Jedi quickly captured the Moffs and Luke learned that they had launched a nanovirus targeting the Hapan royal family at the Queen Mother's ship, Dragon Queen. An irate Tenel Ka had survived the assassination attempt, and Skywalker now gave the Moffs two choices: to be surrendered to Hapan justice, or to switch allegiances and help end the war now that Caedus was dead. Unsurprisingly, they chose the second option, and Luke nominated Jagged Fel to succeed the assassinated Gilad Pellaeon as the Remnant's new Head of State, to Fel's surprise. However, Fel agreed in the end, accepting the responsibility placed on him, and the Moffs relented. A furious Han Solo wanted to kill some of the Moffs in revenge, but when Luke said it was fine with him, Solo realized that more killing would not solve anything. Queen Mother Tenel Ka, though also bitter and angry, came to the same conclusion. With the Moffs' capitulation, the battle was effectively over, and the war's end followed not long afterward. The galaxy was once again reunited, with Natasi Daala becoming the new Chief of State. Daala, however, did hint at the galaxy no longer needing the Jedi in her inaugural speech.[159]

Exile (43 ABY—44 ABY)

Quest for discovery

Ben: "Dad. Jacen. Coruscant. Answers."

Luke: "I don't like it that you can win an argument without using verbs."

Though the war was over, it could not be easily forgotten. Too much damage had been done. Things would grow worse as Chief of State Natasi Daala began to distrust the Jedi, and many of the Order feared that she would attempt to one day outlaw them. In 43 ABY, Jedi Knight Seff Hellin was involved in a dispute with GA intelligence officers. Luke feared that Hellin had used powers taught to him by Caedus shortly before his death—dark side powers Caedus had learned on his five-year odyssey. This caused Luke to recall all of the Jedi to the Temple on Coruscant indefinitely. Shortly after this incident, Daala had Luke arrested for dereliction of duty. Luke would then be involved in the recapture of Valin Horn and when Valin rushed to duel him Luke used one strike to sever Valin's lightsaber in half. Luke exchanged his freedom for his exile from Coruscant and the Jedi Order. Luke then traveled the galaxy with his son to determine what had driven his nephew to the dark side.[160][161]

Chief of State Daala exiles Grand Master Skywalker

With Luke exiled, Kenth Hamner was installed as acting Grand Master of the Order. Luke and Ben's first destination during their quest was the planet of Dorin, where they hoped to discover what Jacen had learned from the Baran Do that dwelt there, and how they may have contributed to his fall. While training with the Baran Do Luke learned the "lightning-rod" technique Ayna-seff, that Jacen had learned. It took Luke two days to master as opposed to Jacen's three days of learning. Ben was hesitant about this training, afraid that what Jacen had learned had caused his fall and that it would affect Luke the same way and turn him into "Darth Starkiller" overnight.[161]

After the feigned death of senior combat instructorCharsae Saal, Luke and Ben would then infiltrate the Hidden Ones, a secret sect of the Baran Do whose members were all considered dead to the outside world with no known exit from their caverns. Luke would then attempt to bring the Hidden Ones back to life through his words and a duel between Charsae Saal and Ben. Saal, though Ben's superior, lost the duel because he lacked the will to win. Although this brought life to most of the onlookers, it enraged their paranoid leader, Koro Ziil, now known as the Hidden One. Ziil violently attacked Skywalker with Force lightning, but Luke brought his lightsaber against it and began moving forward. The Hidden One used whirlwinds in combination with the lightning but still Skywalker continued toward his combatant. The Hidden one then created powerful vortexes which Luke redirected with the Force. With little options remaining against the ever nearing Skywalker, Ziil used the Force to throw his throne at the Jedi, but Luke countered it with a broken pillar, which he then rolled in the direction of the Hidden One, forcing him to jump out of the way. Luke then raced toward Ziil and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him down to the ground. Ziil did not have the strength to continue, and the fight was ended. With the Hidden Ones' will to live restored to them, one of the Hidden Ones, Burra, revealed to the Skywalkers a secret turbolift, and they returned to the planet surface. Luke and Ben left Dorin soon after.[161]

Later, Jysella Horn succumbed to the mysterious Force psychosis. Cilghal contacted Skywalker and told him that she believed that Jysella had used Flow-walking to escape from the Jedi Temple. Luke decided to find the Aing-Tii Monks, the originators of Flow-Walking. Luke successfully searched through the Kathol Rift using the recently learned hassat-durr technique so as not to be struck by lightning in the rift, until an Aing-Tii ship found him and his son. In order to be accepted by the Aing-Tii, Luke and Ben first had to pass a test. The test was to find a way to communicate with the Aing-Tii. Luke accomplished this with the Force. However Ben was so overwhelmed by the complex Aing-Tii he was sent back to the ship. Luke and Ben then traveled to the Aing-Tii homeworld. They learned much about the Aing-Tii from their guide Tadar'Ro. One night Luke was woken up and blocked an attack by an Aing-Tii who was of a faction that opposed outside help. The Skywalkers later learned of the problem of the Aing-Tii as one their greatest prophets died without his last prediction coming true. The Skywalkers were let into the Embrace to touch the artifacts within it to see if any held the answer the to their problems.[162]

While checking the artifacts, Luke came into contact with the Codex, which magnified his presence in the Force. This allowed him to feel something dark from the Maw, and unknowingly allowing the Lost Tribe of Sith to sense him. After going through all of the artifacts, Luke and Ben came out of the Embrace with an answer for the Aing-Tii. Luke told them that the Aing-Tii must now find their own way as they have nothing to lead them. This pleased most Aing-Tii. After that, Ben tried the flow-walking technique that Tadar'Ro had taught him and said he would never flow-walk again. Tadar'Ro gave Ben a Vor'cha stun stick as a parting gift, that disappeared and popped right into Luke's hand, revealing that he learned the Aing-Tii's Force teleportation. Luke then advised Tadar'Ro that he was going to the Maw. Tadar'Ro informed him that Jacen had done the same years earlier. Luke and Ben departed on board the Jade Shadow for the Maw.[162]

Mystery at the Maw

Vestara Khai: "Lady Rhea—what it is?"

Lady Rhea: "I—felt someone very powerful in the Force. Strong in the power of the light side. A Jedi…a great Master."

While entering the Maw Luke and Ben sensed a dark presence from deep within the cluster of black holes. They suffered several hallucinations, such as spiders. They also believed they saw Jedi Knight Qwallo Mode, who had gone missing in the Maw two years earlier. Mode appeared in the vacuum of space without a helmet. He attacked the Jade Shadow, forcing the Skywalkers to leave.[163]

After traversing a safe zone between two black holes, Luke and Ben came across Sinkhole Station, a miniature version of Centerpoint Station. Inside the station, Luke and Ben met with the Mind Walkers, a group of malnourished Force-sensitives. Under their guidance, the two Skywalkers were taught to enter a realm known as the "Beyond Shadows." There the pair learned of a being known as Abeloth who Ben believed was the cause of the mysterious Force psychosis that had inflicted several Jedi Knights. Ben also hypothesized that Centerpoint Station had been created by the Celestials to contain Abeloth and that its destruction had freed Abeloth. Ben realized that sensing Abeloth while at Shelter in the Maw during the Yuuzhan Yong War had caused him to retreat from the Force at an early age.[163]

Luke Skywalker, Grand Master in exile

While in the Beyond Shadows, Luke and Ben entered the Lake of Apparitions, where they were able to see and converse with the spirits of Anakin Solo, Mara Jade Skywalker, and Jacen Solo. It was Jacen who convinced Luke and Ben to leave the Beyond Shadows, as going onward to meet Abeloth may have resulted in the death of their physical bodies. Luke also learned that Jacen had visited Sinkhole Station during his five-year travels, nearly a decade earlier. While on the station, Solo had received a vision of a dark man on a throne. It was this that had convinced him to return to his family. Luke feared the man in the vision was him, but Jacen assured Skywalker that it was not. Luke also had a vision of Allana on a throne, surrounded by her friends.[163] Solo had had a similar vision just prior to his death.[159]

Upon returning to their bodies, Luke and Ben were attacked by a dozen Sith warriors led to the Jedi by Abeloth. Luke and Ben managed kill most of the strike team while trying to reach the Jade Shadow. When he confronted Sith apprentice Vestara Khai, Luke allowed her to cut his face with her knife so he could form a blood trail. This would allow him to track the Sith to their source. Vestara escaped Skywalker and with her master LadyRhea, Keshiri apprentice Ahri Raas and his master Yuvar Xal, dueled Luke as Ben prepped the Shadow for departure. Despite being severely malnourished from his sojourn in the Beyond Shadows, Luke was able to kill Raas. Khai, meanwhile, killed Xal, then she and Rhea faced Luke. After a prolonged duel Luke decapitated Lady Rhea. Vestara realized she was beaten and retreated to another ship docked on the station, using it to head for Dathomir.[164] Luke and Ben then left Sinkhole station to follow Vestara using the blood trail Luke had created.[163]

On Dathomir, Luke and Ben encountered several troubles, such as a rampaging Rancor. They also found a feud between two tribes, the dominant Raining Leaves and the Broken Columns, which were male-dominated and therefore despised by the female-oriented society of the world. There, they met Han, Leia, and Allana. They also met with Dyon Stadd, a failed Jedi Candidate. Their real trouble, though, would come in the form of an attack by a group of Nightsisters. The two Skywalkers aided the two clans and fought the Nightsisters' Rancors with heavy losses. Ironically, they were aided by Vestara, who claimed that she only wanted to live with the tribe. Soon, the Sith arrived on Dathomir in order to aid the Nightsisters but in actuality, desired to induct the Nightsisters into their ranks. Luke dueled Viun Gaalan, who tried to kill him in revenge for his murder of Olaris Rhea. Luke then showed his prowess, though, and sent Gaalan retreating. Luke and Ben then left Dathomir in the Jade Shadow, only to find that they were being pursued by Sith ships.[164]

Uneasy alliance

"We do have a common goal. It would be better to work toward it together rather than getting in each others way. But don't think that I will not be expecting treachery at every turn. There are fewer enmities more ancient than that of Sith and Jedi.""This thing we both fight might be older than that."

On board his ship, Luke received an interesting offer. Gavar Khai, the father of Vestara informed him that Abeloth was driving their Sith apprentices mad as well. Due to the stroke of madness infesting young Jedi, Luke reluctantly formed an unprecedented alliance with the Lost Tribe of Sith. Unbeknown to him, however, this had been a trick by the Sith. When Gavar was allowed to speak with his daughter, they secretly plotted to lure Ben to the dark side or use him as a source of information until he was no longer useful. The Skywalkers recorded their conversation, but the Sith were speaking in an unknown language, so Luke sent the recording to C-3PO for translation.[165]

Luke called in a favor from Lando to bring in the Rockhound to help navigate the Maw. While waiting for Lando in orbit of Klatooine, Luke sent Ben, Vestara and Stadd to gather some supplies. However, Stadd also succumbed to the enigmatic madness and nearly desecrated the Fountain of Ancients. Only Ben and Vestara's intervention stopped him from doing so before they were detained by the Klatooinian authorities. Luke and Gavar went to free their offspring and had Stadd released into their custody, as the Klatooinians lacked the proper facilities to hold him. Once they got Stadd back on the Shadow, Luke warned his son that Vestara was not to be trusted, which Ben did not believe.[165]

Threepio presented a rough translation to Luke, confirming his suspicions that the Sith were lying to him and that Vestara was intentionally manipulating his son. He then showed the recording to Ben, which left him feeling humiliated but still attracted to Vestara, believing that he could bring her to the light side.[165]

Along with the Sith flotilla and Lando, the Skywalkers journeyed into the Maw, only to find Sinkhole Station destroyed, confirming Luke's suspicions that the station was designed to hold Abeloth. Journeying to Abeloth's planet, Luke, along with Gavar, High LordSarasu Taalon and Captain Leeha Faal mindwalked in order to find Abeloth. However, she was absent from the Lake of Apparitions.[165]

Meanwhile, Vestara had purposely set Stadd loose in an attempt to find Abeloth. When the Skywalkers and Sith found him, he was able to see through Abeloth's influence after she attempted to consume his life force. Luke himself soon discovered that Abeloth had consumed his old flame Callista Ming and taken on her appearance. In the resulting battle against Abeloth, the Sith betrayed the Skywalkers and attempted to capture Abeloth. Despite fighting both Abeloth and the Sith, the Skywalkers were able to force Abeloth to retreat. Abeloth came back to Stadd's side to finish the job she started. She then projected Ming's appearance again when Luke confronted her, but the Grand Master could see through her deception. Skywalker quickly thrust his lightsaber down into what appeared to be Stadd's body. The projection of Callista recoiled, and what appeared to be Stadd's body writhed, its voice crying out as Ben and the Sith arrived on the scene. Luke ignored Ben's protest and the Sith's shouts, watching what had appeared to be Stadd's body as it morphed into that of Abeloth's true form. Abeloth seemingly died and the Jedi affected by the psychosis were freed.[165]

Despite the fact that the danger was over, Luke kept Vestara on the Shadow to keep the Sith in line. Only he, Ben, Gavar, Vestara and Taalon remained on Abeloth's planet to discover more about her.[165] On the Shadow, Vestara and Ben sense that Ship was returning to the planet. Ben was able to tell his father of Ship's return and they promptly formulated a plan to steal Abeloth's body. Under the guise of stopping Vestara from being beaten by Taalon, he distracted the Sith so Ben could rush for the body. However, Vestara revealed that the body actually belonged to Dyon Stadd and the real Abeloth had escaped.[166]

Ship subsequently arrived and greeted the group. It lied to them about not being under Abeloth's control and led them to the Pool of Knowledge. Upon looking in the pool, Ben saw an image of Abeloth running toward the allies' vessels, and he realized that she had used Ship to distract them so that she could escape. Ben insisted that they leave quickly, but Gavar wanted to wait until they were certain. The Throne of Balance appeared in the Pool with a red-haired Jedi female sitting on it. Luke and Ben knew that it was Allana and when the Sith demanded to know who she was, the Skywalkers attacked the Sith. During the duel Luke managed to cut off Gavar Khai's fighting arm while Taalon was knocked into the Pool. Luke was then struck with Force lightning, but Ben managed to intercept it with his lightsaber. The Skywalkers went to the exit and Luke used his lightsaber to cut down one of the outer columns, which resulted in the entire collapse of the entryway, temporarily trapping the Sith.[166]

They ran to the ships only to find that Abeloth has taken the Shadow. With Vestara in tow, they stole the Emiax and followed her. Her trail led them to Pydyr which was the new home of the Fallanassi. There they discovered that the people had been stricken with a deadly plague. While Ben and Vestara panicked, Luke used his knowledge of the White Current to discover that it was actually an illusion. He left the two teens in the ship while he searched for Abeloth. He encountered his former lover, Akanah Norand Goss Pell and was suspicious that she might be Abeloth. Although she answered all of his questions, his suspicion remained. He did discover that the Fallanassi are harboring Abeloth. After this, Ben and Vestara arrived, followed shortly by the Sith armada. Taalon was bent on finding Abeloth as he was now turning into a being like her. Skywalker agreed to help them, and on the way to the Fallanassi village he was able to trick some of the fleet into attacking some illusions. When they arrived at the village, everyone except Taalon, Vestara, and the Skywalkers were attacked by more illusions. They discovered that Abeloth had taken over Akanah's body.[166]

Abeloth led them to a cave, while she tempted Taalon with promises to tell him what he was becoming. Luke fought Abeloth once again, killing her with the lava from the cave. Before the end, Akanah took over for a moment to apologize to Skywalker. Exhausted, Luke found out that Abeloth had another body in the form of Callista Ming. This body captured him and Ben in a Force net and he was rendered unconscious. When he came to his senses, he saw that they are both about to be executed. However, Ben revealed to him that he has a plan in the form of Vestara. Skywalker was skeptical and was shocked to see Vestara kill Taalon, who she believed was becoming a puppet of Abeloth. Abeloth fled once more and Skywalker gave Vestara a chance to go back to the Sith. However, Vestara decided to remain with the Skywalkers, this time with their trust. However, they were captured by the newly freed Sith.[166]

After watching the Stealth X'sdecimate the Sith armada, the Skywalkers were saved by Vestara Khai who killed their captors using the Jade Shadow's guns. Ben remarked to his shocked father that perhaps Vestara was not so bad after all. After a brief conversation with Lando Calrissian, who updated him on current events such as Kenth Hamner's death, Luke and Ben, now with Vestara, continued their search for Abeloth.[166]

Pursuing Abeloth

The Skywalkers and Vestara continued to pursue Abeloth and followed a Force pulse to Meliflar Station where they briefly skirmished with its inhabitants. There they learned that the crew had mutinied after Abeloth's visit and discovered that she had tainted the station owner's daughter. Luke healed her by merging Abeloth's dark side energy with his own light. They discovered that Abeloth was headed to Nam Chorios. The last planet Luke had ever seen Callista Ming before she was consumed by Abeloth. As they approached Nam Chorios, Luke told Ben and Vestara the history of Nam Chorios including the Death Seed Plague, and the Tsils.[167]

They approached the planet under the names of Ben and Owen Lars, while Vestara pretended to be the ship captain. Luke warned them about the devastating consequences if they used the Force on the planet. Once planet side Luke sought out the Theran Listeners. The Oldtimers directed Luke to the nearest healer, Sel, who Luke recognized from his last visit as Taselda, the oldest known living Jedi. The last time Luke had seen her she had managed to survive for 400 years by eating live Drochs but that had deteriorated her mind to insanity. She had since been cured by the Theran Listners and accepted into their ranks. Luke warned Sel about Abeloth and expressed interest in learning the Listener technique Mnemotherapy. Sel informed the group that Abeloth's Ship had been spotted near Bleak Point Station. Sel then brought the group to Listener-Master Taru Durn who taught Luke mnemotherapy. Shortly after the session, Abeloth used the Force to cause a powerful Force Storm. After helping as many of the storm's victims as they could Sel confronted Luke and gave her the key to her mnemotherapy which, if the need arose, could act as a backdoor to her mind.[167]

Taru then took the group to meet senior Listener-Master, Nenn. Luke told Nenn about Abeloth and her abilities, and offered to teach the Listener's how to close themselves off from the Force to prevent Abeloth from taking control of them. Nenn then told Luke that a Listener adept had been found dead and that doctor Cagaran Wei had disappeared after Abeloth had been spotted. Nenn told Luke to investigate Hweg Shul, which is where the doctor lived. Luke, Ben, and Vestara met with Snaplaunce, the Mayor of Hweg Shul. While investigating Dr. Wei's office the Skywalkers discovered some evidence that Dr. Wei may have been experimenting with Drochs. Through Dr. Wei's speeder they were able to determine that the doctor had been to a failed rock ivory processing camp in the mountains beyond Bleak Point. Snaplaunce offered to let the Skywalkers and Vestara use his personal shuttle, Vote Snaplaunce in order to reach the camp quickly.[167]

On their way, they where attacked by both Ship and Koval Station. Luke used his piloting skills to force Koval station to fire on Ship but Ship survived the attack however it, along with Abeloth, where injured from the death of a Tsil. Luke eventually eased the damaged shuttle down and made it to the camp, and there found Dr. Wei's corpse. Luke, Vestara, and Ben determined that Dr. Wei was killed to lure them into a trap. Luke used the Force to communicate with a Tsil and after conveying to it what Abeloth was the Tsil revealed that Listener-Master Nenn had also been consumed by Abeloth. They eventually got the shuttle working and made their way back to Hweg Shul, where they were confronted by Sel. Luke used Sel's mnemotherapy key to subdue her and found out the Listeners were indeed controlled by Abeloth and that she was hiding in a pumping station. While resting at Sel's home Ben showed Luke the latest HoloNews stories including the Jedi Coup against Daala, and that his sentence had been overturned. The group then went searching the pumping stations for Abeloth. While at one pumping station they were confronted by Tola Annax, a Sith Saber under Gavar Khai. With Tola were 3 other Saber's who attack Luke, Ben, and Vestara. Each engaged in a one on one duel and the Skywalkers and Vestara emerged victorious causing Tola to flee. Luke was then contacted by Kandra Nilitz, a journalist who come to the planet with Valin and Jysella Horn. When the group met up with Kandra they were again attacked by Sith and again they defeated them. Luke informed Kandra of the Lost Tribe of Sith and Abeloth in return for a ride to Crystal Valley, where Abeloth was.[167]

Once at the Crystal Valley pumping station Luke, Ben, and Vestara entered and found Theran Listener's writhing in agony on the floor. Valin Horn then appeared, still plagued by Force psychosis, and told them that they were cut off from the true Force and that only Grand Master Callista Ming, Abeloth, could cure them. Abeloth then came and expressed a desire to have Luke join with her and Callista. Valin tried to attack Luke but Ben and Vestara held him off. When Abeloth opened herself to Luke he used the Force to rip Callista Ming from Abeloth. Callista's spirit was now free of Abeloth and finally felt the Light Side again as she faded into the Force. Abeloth, now wounded turned into Ninn, who with his last ounce of energy ignited a lightsaber into his chest killing him and freeing the Listeners and Valin of Abeloth's thrall. Abeloth began to escape but before the Skywalkers and Vestara could follow her they were again confronted by Tola Annax who now commanded two dozen Sith. The three fought and managed to hold off the Sith long enough for Vestara to kill a Tsil, whose Death convulsion paralyzed the Sith and allowed the the group to escape with the unconscious Valin Horn. Luke admonished Vestara for killing a Tsil but Vestara countered that only Luke had the strength to destroy Abeloth.[167]

The Sith flotilla that had brought Tola Annax was under attack by the Jedi StealthXs which Luke had kept waiting until the Sith arrived. Luke commandeered Jedi Tyria Sarkin Tainer's StealthX and led a squadron of Jedi after Abeloth, who was fleeing in Ship. During the space battle Luke was shot down by NovaGun, but survived. Luke awoke in the Alliance Supply Navy supply ship Verity. Jaina told him that Abeloth had escaped but Luke knew that she was injured and took comfort in knowing that Callista was finally free.[167]

Luke, Ben, Vestara, and Jaina went to Korriban to find the Lost Tribe of Sith. While at the Valley of the Dark Lords, they were attacked by a large pack of Tuk'ata. Vestara stopped the Tuk'ata and communicated with them through the Sith and told them not to attack them. The Sith Hounds obeyed and Vestara asked if there were any other Sith on the planet. When the Tuk'ata replied with uneasiness because there were no other Lost Tribe Sith on the planet. The four left Korriban and traveled to Dromund Kaas, the ancient capital of the Sith Empire. When they arrived at the Dark Force Temple the group was attacked by 10 Sith Sabers led by Vestara's own father, Gavar Khai. The Jedi defeated three Sith each while Vestara dueled her father. When Vestara realized that Gavar was under Abeloth's thrall, she killed him. Luke figured that because the Lost Tribe was actively hunting them, the main fleet must be elsewhere. Luke decided to return to Coruscant to recuperate. During the flight to Coruscant Ben and Vestara fell in love and Vestara expressed interest in becoming a Jedi. The Grand Master was shocked and disbelieving. However, when Vestara agreed to open up her presence in the Force and allow herself to be examined by Luke, he found that she was sincere in her change of heart and told her that he would teach her himself.[25]

Upon returning to the Jedi Temple Luke met with Master Saba Sebatyne, who had been acting Grand Master following the death of Kenth Hamner. Luke found no fault in Saba for she was doing what was best for the Order and Hamner had given her no other choice. After meeting with Saba Luke summoned the rest of the High Council and proposed his idea for the Jedi to leave Coruscant for the time being, so as not to appear to be a part of the Government. Most of the Masters agreed except for Saba who told Luke that the Barabel Jedi would not leave the Temple. Luke compromised by allowing to the Barabel's to remain and keep watch over the Temple.[25]

Luke then met up with Leia and the current members of the Triumvirate. Luke informed them that the Jedi would be withdrawing from their position of authority in the Galactic Alliance, and how the Order would be hunting down Abeloth and the Sith. He also suggested that, until a proper election could be held, that Wynn Dorvan serve as the Chief of State, to which Wynn reluctantly agreed. Later, in a public ceremony, Luke and the Jedi Order left Coruscant.[25]

While traveling to Upekzar, to find Abeloth and Ship, Ben and Vestara saw Leia being arrested at the behest of Senator Kameron Suldar, whom Vestara recognized as High Lord Ivaar Workan. To Ben and Vestara's surprise Luke was not startled and he admitted that leaving Coruscant was a plan designed by him and the Council to lure the Sith out of hiding, and that after dealing with Abeloth they would return to defeat the Sith.[25]

After Abeloth devastated Coruscant with seismic activity and also kidnapped Vestara and Ben, Luke left for the Realm Beyond Shadows to destroy Abeloth. There, he encountered Darth Krayt. He managed to see through Krayt's attempted lie about being a member of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, but worked with him anyhow in order to stop Abeloth by destroying all of her avatar bodies, eventually destroying her from within the realm. Afterwards, both left, severely wounded but alive. Luke from this encounter also became privvy to another faction of the Sith, the one to which Darth Krayt belonged. Afterwards, remembering the story Yoda told him about Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan's encounter with the Ones on Mortis during the Clone Wars, Luke studied up on the records of this in the aftermath of Abeloth's defeat. After learning the full history from the documents that confirmed Yoda's story, Luke later sent a Jedi Task force to locate the Mortis Monolith to retrieve the Dagger of Mortis as a means of destroying Abeloth for good as insurance in case Abeloth returned from the dead.[168]

Death and legacy

"Every generation has its challenges to face, its own battles to win. Why should yours be any different? Running away from your responsibilities won't solve anything."

Luke Skywalker, having become one with the Force, converses with his descendant, Cade Skywalker

At some point prior to 137 ABY, Luke passed away. When he died, he united his spirit with the Force like his father and his mentors. After his descendant Cade Skywalker became a pirate and a bounty hunter, Luke pleaded with him—repeatedly, and over the course of many meetings—to turn back to the Force and the Jedi way.[4] Later, Luke would again appear before Cade in a Force vision, urging him to right his wrongs and free the Jedi Hosk Trey'lis, who Cade had previously given to the Sith.[169] Luke would later appear with his descendant and Cade's father, Kol Skywalker, in an attempt to persuade Cade to stop using death sticks and to warn Cade that there would be upcoming events that would envelop him and those he cared about, and that he had to be ready.[170]

Nonetheless, Cade tried running again after paying the consequences from his assassination of Darth Krayt. On Tatooine, he was caught by a sandstorm with his unknown half-sister Gunn Yage, though Luke appeared once again as a Force ghost, guiding him to the Lars homestead. Afterward, Luke appeared before Cade in a vision, warning him that he was skirting closer to the dark side than he thought. Luke also reminded his wayward descendant that even if he tried running from his destiny, the galaxy would never leave him alone.[171] When Cade was searching for Vul Isen, he became frustrated that he could not find him. Luke appeared to Cade again and told him that he could not find Isen because he had no plan. He suggested that Cade should finish his Jedi training so that he could anticipate Isen's movements. He then told Cade that he had a great trial coming and that he needed to be ready. When Cade realized Jariah Syn was watching him interact with Luke he asked Syn if he could see Luke, and both Jariah and Luke responded with no.[172]

During the Battle of Coruscant, Cade finally embraced his Jedi heritage and killed Darth Krayt. He then took his mother's ship to Coruscant Prime, intending to burn Krayt's body to ensure that he would not return again. Cade also resolved to die as Krayt had infected his mind, intending to take over Cade's body. Luke appeared to Cade and told him that as a Jedi, he could either give into fear and die with Krayt or choose hope and live. Cade listened to his ancestor and ejected as Krayt's body was incinerated by the sun.[173]

Personality and traits

"This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away. To the future. To the horizon. Never his mind on where he was… what he was doing! Adventure, heh! Excitement, heh!… A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!"

In his youth, Luke was often impatient, looking ahead to the future with little regard for his present surroundings. Like his father, he was impulsive, reckless, and often had little regard for his own personal safety.[7] According to Han Solo, his first impression of Skywalker was a naïve kid who needed to be taught a thing or two.[174]

However, as his skills in the Force progressed and after losing a hand to Darth Vader, Luke became more patient and seasoned, and was often seen as having wisdom beyond his years. However, he still retained his idealistic worldview of his youth, believing that Vader was redeemable.[175] This belief would stay with him for his entire life, as he would go so far as to spare the Sith Lumiya because he believed she could be redeemed, despite the fact there was much evidence to the contrary and a pressing need to have her eliminated.[155] Some called Skywalker naïve for this, although it was actually his kindness and ability to see the good in others that forced him to view others this way.[156][157] This somewhat soft stance on discipline and errant behavior at the Jedi Praxeum indirectly led to the attacks by the spirit of Exar Kun on his students.[16][21][97]

Luke, especially after serving the reborn Palpatine as the Sith Lord's apprentice, was often conflicted about his role in the Force and had his judgment clouded, until Mara Jade and Corran Horn helped free him of the dark side's influence.[113] This type of inner conflict would reemerge in the Yuuzhan Vong War, where Luke struggled with how the Jedi should approach the war.[147]

Luke was known for being empathetic to his friends and would go to great lengths to help them, whenever he could. At some times, he could be almost passive, serene—a result of his mastery of the Force that allowed him to remain calm and in control even in the heat of battle. His loyalty and devotion to his comrades was virtually unshakable, Emperor Palpatine tried to sever his connection to his friends during their confrontation on board the second Death Star, but ultimately failed. Luke's love for his friends and his determination foiled the plans of the evil Sith Lord.[175]

Luke's signature.

After the death of his wife Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke felt that his world had ended.[157] The weight of his grief would burden him even as the Jedi Order looked to him for leadership and his son Ben fell perilously close to the dark side of the Force.[13] However, Luke would eventually accept that his duty was to lead the Jedi and he returned to the forefront of the order, leading a series of missions against the Sith Lord Darth Caedus.[8]

Powers and abilities

Lightsaber abilities

Though Luke received little training, he became an exceptionally skilled Jedi in combat, making him one of the most powerful Jedi to ever live. Without a master, it was his natural and unparalleled aptitude that contributed in the impossible advancement of his skills. On Bespin, Luke revealed that he was an extraordinarily gifted duelist after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and later, Yoda. On board the second Death Star, Luke mirrored Darth Vader's own Form V technique and responded with his own furious demonstration of Form V's raw power. Luke Skywalker's use of Form V is probably as much instinctive as trained, leaving observing swordsmen, such as Darth Sidious, astonished at such instantaneous learning in a lightsaber duel. Ultimately, Luke was able to duel Vader on an even footing, and defeated the experienced Dark Lord. However, Luke's particular form of lightsaber combat may in the end be something entirely new, with traces of Form III, Form IV and Form V mixed together with his own techniques. After the fateful duel, however, Luke also studied some lightsaber techniques from Kenobi's journal and greatly advanced his abilities.

As Grand Master, Luke particularly took the time to write in the margins noting how compassion was a key element to mastering Form V, indicating he had some degree of knowledge of the finer points in the Form as of at least that point.[176] He also mastered the strong style, a form of lightsaber combat that resembles Djem So that is used in the New Jedi Order.[177] Luke also revealed having knowledge and skill in the use of Ataru. Skywalker learned the form from Yoda and passed it on to his students, teaching them to embrace it not as a weapon of first use, but to use both their weapon and their body in practicing Ataru. Luke Skywalker was known to possess some skill in Soresu, using it to deflect blaster bolts.

In the fight against Darth Sidious, during Operation Shadow Hand, he rebelled against the reborn Emperor and despite losing initially, Luke again engaged Sidious in a final duel. The fight was so intense that Leia could hardly see the movements of Luke as he engaged the Emperor, but she sensed waves of power generating from them—dark from the Emperor, and light from Luke. Luke took the upper hand and sliced off the Emperor's hand with cho mai. Darth Sidious, whose lightsaber prowess rivaled that of Yoda's, laid defeated.[178]

Skywalker using Soresu

Luke was also able to display his amazing dueling skills with dual blades during the Yuuzhan Vong War. When his nephew, Jacen Solo, was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong Luke wielded his own blade, as well as Jacen's, and easily defeated three Yuuzhan Vong Warriors, before freeing Jacen.[136] Later in the Yuuzhan Vong War, Luke participated in the Battle of Artorias and defeated over a dozen Yuuzhan Vong Warriors.[138] Luke's abilities with a lightsaber allowed him to fight his way through countless Yuuzhan Vong warriors in the Sacred Precinct. After defeating numerous Yuuzhan Vong warriors in Shimrra's Citadel, Luke defeated more than five Slayers; while Kyp Durron, one of the most powerful Jedi of his time, could not best the Slayers who were exposed to Alpha Red. Afterward, Luke slew Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane, who was stated to be the best warrior of the Yuuzhan Vong, despite being injured by the poison of the Scepter of Power.[12]

Later into the war, Luke led the Jedi against Jacen and faked his death to infiltrate the Anakin Solo. Luke saw Jacen, who was unknown to Luke at this point the Sith Lord Darth Caedus, torturing his son Ben. Luke leaped at Jacen and the two engaged in a prolonged lightsaber duel, during which both duelists suffered severe injuries. Luke eventually defeated his nephew with the intervention of Ben, but he spared him so his son would not fall to the dark side.[13]

During the Battle of Tenupe, Luke dueled Raynar Thul, who at the time could draw on the Force energy of every single nest member and Joiner, and was able to defeat him by cutting off his dominant hand. Before he could get Raynar to surrender he was attacked by the Queen of the Dark Nest, Lomi Plo. Although Lomi Plo wielded two lightsabers, Luke was still able to block her attacks and kill her by slicing her into four pieces, thus destroying the Dark Nest and ending the Swarm War.[151]

Skywalker with his custom-built lightsaber

During Luke's exile, the Lost Tribe of Sith sent out a strike team to kill the Jedi Grand Master. Despite being outnumbered, Luke along side Ben, fought his way through approximately fifteen Sith until only the Sith Lady, Olaris Rhea, and her apprentice, Vestara Khai, remained. Luke dueled the both of them and killed Olaris, only allowing Vestara to escape so he could track her with a Blood Trail.[163]

While looking for the Sith on Dromund Kaas Luke, Ben, Vestara, and Jaina Solo were attacked by 10 Sith sabers led by Gavar Khai. Despite being outnumbered and the Sith powered by Dromund Kaas' dark side nexus, the Jedi and Vestara fought them. Luke and Jaina fought back to back, bonded by the Force, in perfect harmony and defeated six attacking Sith.[25] This fight, among other things, displayed that Luke had great skill in working in unison with other combatants.

Force powers

"Yeah, well, if he's such a great Jedi, how come I have to keep rescuing him?"

Skywalker was skilled in a great number of Force powers, giving him the Force potential to become what his father was supposed to become—the Force potential of the Chosen One.[179][180]
Luke's first conscious use of the Force was to locate a lost screwdriver under a couch, when he was only 6 years old.

During the Battle of Yavin, Luke managed to destroy the first Death Star by letting the Force tell him when to fire his proton torpedoes, while traveling at very high speeds, not knowing the distance to the port, and having no previous knowledge of proton torpedoes and their capabilities. Astonishingly, Luke only had little training with the Force at the time.[7]

Luke Skywalker was one of the most powerful Force users of his time.

Only a short time after being given a lightsaber by Obi-Wan, Luke was able to instinctively block several blaster bolts fired in rapid succession by a remote, despite his lack of prolonged formal training. Without any guidance except a handbook left by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker successfully built his first lightsaber, merely three years after he was first introduced to the Force, and undergoing formal training for less than a year. Further testament to this was shown when Luke was able to successfully Mind trick a stormtrooper into disregarding his concealed lightsaber, roughly two months after he had first seen Ben Kenobi perform it.[181]

The Grand Master was also frighteningly proficient in the more personal applications of the Force. After being fatally wounded in the battle between the Singing Mountain Clan and the Nightsisters, Luke was able to instinctively heal himself in the span of mere hours.[28] Luke's proficiency in Force speed allowed him to increase the speed of his lightsaber strikes, as seen during his duels with Yuuzhan Vong Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane and UnuThul. With guidance from the voice of Ben Kenobi, Luke gave in to the Force and found that time seemed to slow down considerably, allowing him fight with dramatically enhanced reflexes. Luke describes the feeling as if he didn't feel in control of the power and instead felt that it was the Force guiding his actions. Luke was also skilled in the use of Force Jump, using it to avoid being frozen in carbonite during his duel with Darth Vader. Likewise, Luke safely landed himself and Isolder from a free fall drop from orbit with the Force.[28]

Luke's skill with telekinesis was as remarkable as it was overwhelming. In the middle of a massive midday meal food fight at the Jedi Praxeum's mess hall, Luke instantly froze every morsel, drop and item, solid and liquid in midair as if trapped in time, only falling after Luke had consciously released everything within the room.[93] Luke was able to knock down an AT-AT by pressing against it with the Force; he also absorbed the initial cannon blasts from the AT-AT, before deflecting the rest with his lightsaber.[11][178] In combat, Luke was able to destroy a group of hot-wired battle droids just by waving his hand, subtly displacing their master servos and causing the self-destruction of the group of droids.[11][178] This Force power was first manifested by Jedi Master Arca Jeth during the Great Droid Revolution. Even then, with proper instruction, it was a difficult power to master. However, this power apparently came naturally to Luke. Similarly, during the Black Fleet Crisis, Luke used the Force to rebuild Darth Vader's old fortress on Coruscant.[105] Luke would later use the Force to crush the rebuilt fortress of Darth Vader to rubble, shattering the building piece by piece and throwing it into the oceans of Coruscant.[107] During the Battle of Dantooine during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Luke managed to telekinetically sustain a black hole while simultaneously flinging the dovin basals into it.[136]

In arguably the greatest fight of his life, Luke Skywalker walked Beyond shadows
and had a final duel with Abeloth. Using his bare hands and offensive Force exertisons, Luke was able to temporarily destroy the dark side entity, with help from Darth Krayt, who also attacked Luke as well halfway through, and attempted to drain him.[168]

Among other Force powers Luke had under his disposal, he was particularly skilled in mental manipulation. During the Eye of Palpatine incident, Luke subconsciously used his Force powers to overcome a particularly vicious form of brainwashing, able to easily siphon all the information he was seeking.[31]
While searching for the kidnapped Solo children, Luke used the Force to create an illusion over his face in order to disguise his identity.[104] After the Black Fleet Crisis, with new found knowledge from the White Current, Luke removed the Teljkon Vagabond from view using the Force[107] During the Death Seed Plague, Luke used the Force to communicate with the sentient crystals Tsils; despite the fact that the more dissimilar the type of mind, the more difficult it is to communicate with via the Force.[101] Toward the end of the Swarm War, Luke used the Force to call all the Jedi across the galaxy to Ossus to make the announcement of him taking on the role as Grand Master of the Jedi Order and to issue his views about the role of the Order to his Jedi.[151]

Befitting his title as Grand Master, Luke also mastered a plethora of rare and difficult Force powers. While he was re-creating the Jedi Order and was searching for potential candidates, he walked on lava while still throbbing with the Force after defeating a Fireworm living in the lava just moments before. Luke's performance impressed Gantoris so much that he decided to become Luke's apprentice.[16]During the Battle of the Jedi Praxeum Luke used the Force to bolster his students engaged in battle.[126] During the Kueller crisis, Luke prepared himself for death in such a way that he would become a Force ghost, showing that he could utilize such a rare and potent skill.[108] In the years before the Yuuzhan Vong War, Luke also trained to overcome the Force-Blindness caused by Ysalamiri.[134]
During the early days of the Dark Nest Crisis, Luke used the Force to generate a physical copy of the Jade Shadow to fool the attacking dartships. This usage of the Force was so extreme, Luke burnt out and his face was temporarily sunken and shriveled like Palpatine's.[144] A year later. Luke applied the same trick on the DR919a, but by then Luke already mastered the technique and would no longer burn out.[152]

While battling UnuThul, Luke was able to resist the combined Force power of the Colony and triumph. When UnuThul attempted to Force Push the Grand Master, Luke rooted himself with the Force so strongly that it was said that he had become the very essence of the immovable object, and that not even the black hole at the center of the galaxy could move him.[151]

During the Battle of Kashyyyk, Luke shut his presence down after being fired upon by Jaina to make it seem like he died. Later while Ben was in the Embrace of Pain, Jacen gave Ben back his ability to sense the Force temporarily and Ben felt the life force of his father and realized Luke was shutting himself down to everyone except Ben, something no other Jedi has been able to do.[13] Right before the Battle of Fondor, Luke made Caedus "see" a fleet of ships, causing him to panic in front of his navy. Luke directed it right at Caedus in general, to show him what he could do and also to scare Caedus.[158] Luke revealed to Jaina Solo that he was capable of perceiving Shatterpoints, a very rare Force ability, and taught this ability to Jaina.[159]

During the Battle of Yuuzhan'tar, Luke had shown himself capable of consciously reaching a state of Oneness. He was described as a maelstrom of luminous Force energy, against which there was no shelter. So calm and focused was he that his actions were not interrupted by any thought. Luke merged with the Force to such a degree that the Jedi Master did not seem to be there, physically or as an individual personality. Luke's control over his lightsaber blade was so great that he was said to might as well have been wielding ten, or twenty lightsabers against the Vong.[12] The Solo twins were astounded seeing their uncle in such a state. Luke used a powerful and unique ability of the Force related to his signature green Electric Judgment in the chamber of Shimrra Jamaane. This technique had been described to look like "green sparks," which instantly killed the Slayers.[12]

In 43.5 ABY, Skywalker learned the "lightning-rod" technique Ayna-seff, which he use to safely travel through the Kathol Rift. After spending time with the Aing-Tii, Luke was taught the Fold space ability which allowed him to teleport objects vast distances.[162] During the battle in the Fallanassi village, when Abeloth had Luke in a deadly embrace, Luke opened himself to the Force as much as possible, drawing on his love for his son Ben, his lost wife Mara, and the entire Jedi Order. The Light Side rushed into him, his cells began to burst with power and his skin gave off a golden glow. Luke's power apparently harmed Abeloth and Luke seized the moment by using the Force to bring down a ceiling beam onto Abeloth, then seemingly killed her with his lightsaber.[166] While looking for Abeloth on Nam Chorios, Luke also mastered mnemotherapy.[167]

By 45 ABY, Luke had great resilience in Force duels, able to break a powerful Force grip on his neck, and take a full blast of Force lightning to the torso.[3]

During his duel with the Columi Qresh brothers, Luke dispensed powerful blasts of Force energy that manifested itself as golden flame. He also experienced an epiphany, in which he came to a conclusion that the light side is just as important to the Force as the dark, and as a whole their is only the Force, with everything else just a necessary push and pull, circle of life.[3]

Upon death, Luke was able to retain his consciousness in the Netherworld of the Force, and could henceforth manifest himself in spirit form.[4]

Other abilities

"But Luke is strong, stronger than he knows. And Luke has a single purpose. I suppose you could say that he has a pure heart."

Luke applied the very opposite of Dun Möch on board the second Death Star by infusing love into Darth Vader's heart through spoken words. The young Jedi was successful—Anakin Skywalker ultimately redeemed himself and brought balance to the Force.[10]

Like his father, Luke was an expert pilot, being the person who was responsible for destroying the first Death Star and managing to evade Darth Vader himself (albeit with help from Han Solo). He also landed a crashing Imperial Star Destroyer, with almost no loss of life, on Coruscant by allowing the Force to guide him at the Liberator's controls, mirroring a similar achievement by his father at the end of the Clone Wars.[11][178][182] Skywalker continued to pilot an immense variety of starships throughout his life, from a Mandalorian Bes'uliik fighter to his wife's ship, the Jade Shadow.

Luke was proficient in unarmed combat. He was able to defeat Guri, who was an expert in unarmed combat.[59] He often used physical attacks when he was in lightsaber combat to defeat enemies like Jabba's thugs to even kicking Darth Vader down a stair case in their final duel.[10] In the duel at the lake of apparitions, Luke killed the entity Abeloth by pushing his elbow through Abeloth's head. He also overpowered Darth Krayt when the Dark Lord tried to Force drain him by bashing him and throwing him to the surface of the lake.[168]

Lightsabers

Luke's first lightsaber

Luke Skywalker's first lightsaber was his father's former weapon, retrieved and given to him by Obi-Wan Kenobi.[7] During the first three years of his adventures, Luke upgraded the lightsaber by placing a shard of Kaiburr crystal in the focusing crystal hold and adding other parts such as an activator board. He wielded it until it fell into the depths of Cloud City after being defeated by Darth Vader.[14] Years later after recovering it from a clone of himself, Luke gave the weapon to Mara Jade.

After losing his father's lightsaber on Bespin, Luke wielded another lightsaber of unknown origin[19][184][185][186] until, half a standard year after the duel, he used designs in Kenobi's home on Tatooine to build a new weapon similar to the late Jedi Master's saber, a practical weapon with a green Synth-crystal blade. Inadvertently Kenobi and Skywalker kept the tradition of the apprentice modeling their lightsaber on their master's. Luke used it during the rescue of his friends from Jabba the Hutt, his final duel with Vader, and kept using it up to and during the Second Galactic Civil War.

During his time under the cloned Palpatine Luke used a red-bladed lightsaber of unknown origin. Soon after he discarded it and resumed use of his green one.[11]

During the Nagai-Tof War, after losing an initial duel to Lumiya and her lightwhip, Luke constructed a red-bladed shoto to counter her unique weapon.[70] Years later, he would use it again in a duel against the Dark Lady of the Sith.

Luke practiced and specialized in Djem So, his father's lightsaber combat style even though he was known to use an Ataru opening stance. He was also known to utilize two lightsabers in the Jar'Kai style.[187]

Romances

"Akanah, Gaeriel Captison, Callista … Luke Skywalker's lost loves. Not to mention that one on Folor."

Prior to his marriage with Mara Jade, Luke had had a tumultuous, often tragic love life. Nearly every lover or would-be lover of his would either die or reject him (or turn out to be related to him, in Leia's case), citing irreconcilable differences.

Luke's first impression of Leia as he saw her in an hologram was "She's beautiful." Luke later discovered that she was his long-lost twin sister and they formed a close brother-sister relationship. Leia went on to marry Han Solo.

Luke encountered this Zeltron on Stenos. She found Luke very attractive, and even infiltrated the Millennium Falcon and followed him on a few adventures. Luke apparently had mutual feelings—when he later encountered a Zeltron that looked like Dani, he blushed.

During his time in the military, Luke was attracted to Shira Brie, another Rebel Alliance pilot. However, the Force led him to shoot her down in the middle of heated combat. This caused Luke to doubt the Force for some time, until it was revealed that Shira was actually an Imperial spy. She would later try to kill him.

Tanith Shire was a crash-landing survivor on Ophideraan, enslaved by the Serpent Masters. She was immediately smitten by the Rebel hero and hoped he would stay on Ophideraan, but she knew he was committed to the Rebel Alliance and decided not to pursue a relationship, though they shared a goodbye kiss before returning to Yavin 4. Years later Luke would say he was never in love with Tanith Shire.

The Mind-witch S'ybll tried to seduce Luke Skywalker when he explored her remote planet, using her magic on him. She almost managed to persuade him to remain with her on the planet, and the two shared a kiss. He terminated the relationship when he realized that she planned to kill him and drain his life force in order to sustain her mystical powers.[188]

Alexandra Winger worked with Luke Skywalker and the Katarn Commandos on a mission to the Imperial world of Sarahwiee. A Force-sensitive, "Alex" and Luke sensed that they would meet each other again someday. In part due to her Force-related dreams and visions, Alex was known to have developed an attraction for Luke to some extent, though to what extent and to whether that feeling was reciprocated is unknown, other than a kiss they shared on Sarahwiee.

While fighting the Ssi-ruuk at Bakura, Luke and Gaeriel Captison had a mutual attraction to each other, but they parted ways after the invasion was stopped and Captison informed Luke that she was already in love with Bakura.[64] They would encounter each other again years later, but Gaeriel was a widow by then. After her untimely demise on the Intruder, Luke arranged to have her orphaned daughter Malinza taken care of.[111]

Mary was an inhabitant of Solay who helped Luke to overthrow the Empire on her home planet. Luke fell in love with the young woman after she reminded him of Leia Organa's fighting spirit. Luke entertained thoughts of leaving the war behind to stay with Mary on Solay rebuilding the government. Unfortunately, the Empire arrived on Solay to retake control, and Mary was killed in the initial firefight. Luke lifted Mary's dying body from a mob of people fleeing the Empire's attack where she died in his arms. Luke was thrown into a vengeful fury, almost falling to the dark side before realizing that Mary's memory was not being honored by his search for revenge.

Jem aided Luke Skywalker and Kam Solusar search for lost Jedi knowledge on Ossus. Jem and Luke became romantically involved during her training and the relationship grew more intense before her ultimate demise. While trying to save Luke from the Dark Jedi Tedryn-Sha and Krdys Mordi, Jem was shot with a blaster after killing Mordi with her lightsaber.

Luke also had a romance with Callista Ming, a Jedi Knight whose spirit had been trapped in the Eye of Palpatine's computers. After Cray Mingla sacrificed herself and left Callista her body to inhabit,[31] Luke grew close to Callista, but despite their closeness, she could not touch the Force and left Luke to find her own way back to the Force. This encounter embittered Luke somewhat, as he was quite in love with Callista.[98] Ming was later killed by a dark side entity named Abeloth who absorbed her life energy when her journey led her into the Maw. In 44 ABY, Luke encountered Abeloth, who used Ming's appearance and Force-essence to make him believe that she was indeed his lost love. Fooled for only a minute, the realization of what had happened to Callista - and that he could not save her - caused Luke a great deal of pain as that, even after three decades, the love he had felt for her was still there. However, Luke was eventually able to sever Callista from Abeloth, allowing her to return to the light side.

Akanah entered Luke's life as he was meditating on his role in the Force. She told him that she knew of Luke's mother and took him around the galaxy looking for her. They were initially just on friendly terms, until Akanah found out that her father was severely brain-damaged. At that point, Akanah and Luke grew close as Luke empathized and comforted her over her loss. However, this romance was also doomed to fail as Akanah had been deceiving him all along—she knew nothing of his mother. The relationship ended after that.

Mara Jade was a former Emperor's Hand whose last order had been to kill Luke. Their relationship was shakey at first, but they were forced to cooperate on numerous occasions to survive. As Mara worked with Luke, she developed at first a grudging respect for him, then later a growing admiration, tempered by her pragmatism and coolness as usual. While fighting on Nirauan, in order to coordinate their efforts perfectly, Luke and Mara performed a Force Meld, linking their minds. It was after understanding each other on so deep a level that they realized the depth of their attraction for each other. The two were falling in love and were happily married. Luke and Mara had a son that they named Ben, in honor of the memory of his first master, Obi-Wan 'Ben' Kenobi. Their marriage came to a tragic end when Mara was killed in a duel with Jacen Solo shortly before he became Darth Caedus. The pain Luke felt at the time of her death led him to kill Lumiya under the mistaken belief that it was she who killed Mara. He would meet Mara later after her death in the Lake of Apparitions only to be told that it wasn't her comforting him while he was asleep, and that it was Abeloth.

Behind the scenes

"Anakin wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that."

Origins of Luke

The name "Luke" is likely derived from Lucas's own name. One reason Lucas may have done this is to reflect his own identification with the character.

The name Luke is derived from the name of a region in Italy, Lucania, through the Greek "Loukas", meaning "a native of Lucania". It is most famous as the name of a Christian Evangelist, the author of the Gospel of Luke.[189]

Early concept art showing Luke Skywalker fighting Darth Vader

In the biography of George Lucas on The Academy of Achievement website, it is noted that the famous Skywalker Ranch is in fact, named after Luke Skywalker.[190]

In early drafts of the A New Hope screenplay, the main character who became Luke was a girl named Starkiller. In other drafts, Luke was an experienced sixty-five year old General rather than a youth. Just before the final script was written, his surname was Starkiller, when later it was changed to Skywalker.[191] In the scene where Luke first meets Leia on the Death Star he introduces himself as Luke Starkiller, this was later reshot after the executives at 20th Century Fox expressed their displeasure at the name.[192] The Starkiller name later was used for a Tarisian duel veteran in the times of Revan, named Bendak Starkiller,[193] and even more recently as the name of Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Starkiller.[194] Starkiller being Luke's pre-production name, however, was referenced in the Fate of the Jedi series novel Outcast, where Luke, when expressing reluctance to utilize an ability Jacen mastered out of fear of it causing his transformation into a Sith, sarcastically refers to himself as "Darth Starkiller" upon explaining this to Ben.

George Lucas has stated that Luke has the same Force potential as his father, which is why both Darth Vader and the Emperor were willing to turn on each other to gain Luke as their apprentice. Luke is said to represent Anakin's full potential, if Anakin had lived to achieve it rather than suffer the horrible fate that made him more machine than man. Lucas also mentions that Luke's Force potential was even more powerful than Emperor Palpatine's.[179]

Casting

An older Mark Hamill and George Lucas celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Wars in 2007.

Non-canon storylines

Skywalker clashes with Galen Marek, as Palpatine's servant in the non-canon "Ultimate Sith" edition of The Force Unleashed

In addition to all the stories about Luke in the Star Warscontinuity, there are also certain non-canon publications. Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition both present non-canon versions of the Battle of Hoth, the former involves Luke's death and the latter involves his fall to the dark side.

In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition, another Infinity follows Lord Starkiller, who became the Emperor's new apprentice after destroying Darth Vader, as he infiltrates Echo Base. The opening crawl reveals that Luke has been trained in the Force by Obi-Wan Kenobi's spirit, yet Luke was still under the impression that his father had been betrayed and murdered by Vader until Starkiller goads Luke with the truth. The Emperor sends orders via Starkiller's liaison that Luke should be taken alive, implicitly so that the Emperor may replace Starkiller with an unbroken apprentice.

Like in the mainstream continuity, Luke tries to stand between his friends and the Sith. This becomes Luke's undoing; while he and Starkiller duel in the Echo Base hangar, the latter uses the Force to prevent the Millennium Falcon's escape. Luke secures his friends' release, but at the cost of turning to the dark side of the Force and becoming Starkiller's apprentice.

Prior to the events in the Endor DLC of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Leia Organa explains to the Dark Apprentice that Luke Skywalker fell on Hoth. Due to her twin brother's untimely demise, Leia was forced to take up Luke's destiny by training as a Jedi. Although her skills were impressive to the dark clone, she would ultimately share in her brother's fate after being outmatched and overpowered by her father's Sith assassin.